Mayday
by alonewithmyself
Summary: Following in her father's footsteps, Lieutenant Tegan Quin has worked for ten years to become one of Vancouver's finest firefighters. But after saving innocent victim Sara Clement from her death, Tegan must risk jeopardizing her shining career to chase after the girl she loves. AU. Quincest. Quinlove. Will progress to M rated.
1. Call Out

**Mayday**

**Chapter One: Call Out**

**Tegan**

_"Calling Engine 44, Truck 24, Squad 8, and Ambulance 14. Fire at a studio apartment on Spencer Avenue. One civilian trapped in North facing bedroom."_

My ears perked up as our first call out of the day was read out over the loudspeaker. I leapt from my place on the couch in the community wing and ran down the hall to the main bay. Hurriedly I shoved my socked feet into heavy boots and tugged my suspenders up and over my strong shoulders. I grabbed my jacket and helmet and jumped into my squad truck, slamming the passenger door shut. I turned to Johnny and nodded before he started up the engine and we took off out of the station and into the grey of the Vancouver morning, sirens roaring.

Even after doing my job for nearly ten years, the rush of adrenaline that washes over me as we speed towards the next call still hits me with a force. I sat in my adrenaline fuelled daze as streets whooshed past my face in a blink of an eye. I played with my labret piercing and stared out of the window.

"You coming to The Molly to watch the Canucks game tonight, Tegan?" Johnny smiles at me from behind the wheel.

"I think I'll pass, Johnny." I replied, "I think once my shift is over I'll just head home and crash."

"Suit yourself, pal."

He swerved the truck around the busy street corner and I heard a cheer from the crowd that had already gathered. We parked the truck in the centre of the street and Johnny, Ted, and Jason all ran out to gather up our equipment. I glanced down to my helmet in my lap and ran the pads of my fingers over our Company's badge and the neat engraving of "QUIN" on the front. I shoved it onto my head, pushing my messy bangs to the side, and hopped out of the truck. I took a quick look towards the apartment complex and spotted the window that clearly belonged to the loft we were concerned with. I ran over to the squad car parked just across from our vehicle as the Chief stepped out of the driver's side door.

"Chief Burgan," I stood to attention by his side.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Quin." he nodded, "Are your boys getting the ladders ready to help Engine 44?"

"Yes, Sir. That window will blow soon if we don't get up there in a hurry."

"Take charge of Squad 8. I want you and Ted up those ladders with Jason and Johnny on the ground. Damon, Rob, and Walla will follow you in."

I acknowledged my orders and ran off towards the building. On my way I spotted Emy climbing out of the back of Ambulance 14 and headed towards her. She wheeled the gurney out onto the tarmac and placed her medic bag on top. We broke into a gentle jog as we pushed the gurney over towards the spot where my boys were setting the ladders against the building.

"You got a bad one today, Teegs," Emy stared up at the blackened window.

"You betcha," I said before swallowing hard.

Jason approached me with a face shield and oxygen tank in hand. He passed it over to me and I pulled the shield on over my helmet and down around my nose, eyes, and mouth. Emy helped me adjust the fit around my face and pull the tank on over my shoulders like a backpack.

"Pull this one out and get them straight down to me and I'll buy dinner tonight. Deal?" Emy smiled.

"Deal," I flashed her back a gummy smile through my shield.

I turned and placed a boot on the first rung of the ladder before I heard Emy call out my name. I whipped my head around and looked at her suspiciously.

"Your Pops would be proud, Tegan," she told me, her face serious.

My heart skipped a beat and I nodded, beginning to climb up the ladder with Ted following behind. I stopped around the middle and looked to the ground. Rob, Damon, and Walla were poised and ready to run into the building on my signal. I looked up and spotted Shaun on the roof as he gave me a thumbs up, letting me know that an air flow had been created at the top of the building and it was safe to approach. I gave the guys on the ground the signal and they ran in through the main door.

"How ya doing back there, Ted?" I called behind me.

"Good to go, Lieutenant," he replied.

I continued climbing until I reached the window, glass black from the smog that had amassed inside the room. Reaching for the frame, I pulled upwards but the window didn't budge. I reached for the small mallet latched onto my belt and grasped it tightly in my gloved hand. "Brace yourself, Ted!" I shouted back and counted down from three. I smashed the window, making sure the glass landed on the inside, and the black smoke poured out into the cold morning air. Once the smoke stopped coming out as quickly, I stepped up the remaining rungs of the ladder and swung my right leg over the window frame and hopped into the room.

"Vancouver Fire and Rescue. Call out!" I shouted through the poisoned air.

I reached up and switched on the flashlight beam strapped to the front of my helmet. The light cut through the smog filling the room and I could finally make out my surroundings. The fire hadn't originated in this room but enough smoke was creeping through the cracks in the door to do some serious damage. I scanned the room for any signs of life, checking every corner. I finally spotted the body lying on the opposite side of the bed on the floor and crawled towards it. A woman clad in a Batman t shirt and boxer briefs lay unconscious but time wasn't going to be her friend. I turned towards the window to see Ted poking his head in.

" Tell Emy we've got a live one!" I shouted to him and he disappeared from the window.

I heard more distant banging and shouting before the voices finally reached me. The boys from Engine 44 must have come in through the front.

"Vancouver Fire and Rescue. Call out!" I heard Rob scream from behind the bedroom door.

"Lieutenant Quin," I cried out my name and tried the door handle but it wouldn't budge. "The door is jammed!"

"We've got you, Tegan!" Rob called back.

Before Rob could even begin to do anything I had decided to deal with things myself. "Stand back!" I shouted as I brought my leg up and slammed my boot into the hard door. The wood splintered and cracked but it didn't quite do the trick. I summoned up all my strength and smashed my foot into the door again and it flew off its hinges and out into the hallway. Rob ran back to me and gripped onto my biceps.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yeah. Go help the others deal with the blaze and I'll get her out of here," I panted, gulping down pure oxygen from the tank strapped to my back.

"Yes, Lieutenant." Rob nodded and ran down the hall.

I turned back into the bedroom and scooped the woman up into my arms. Her breathing was ragged and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. If I didn't get her to Emy soon I doubt she'd make it through the night. I started off down the hall and ran for the front door, making sure not to bump the fragile body in my arms. I made it to the stairwell and began taking the three flights down to the ground floor. Once I made it to ground level, I burst out through the main entrance and came face to face with everyone out on the street. A cheer erupted from the onlookers as they saw me carrying a body in my arms.

Emy launched into action and ran over to me with the gurney, blanket already in her arms. She wrapped the woman's body up in the thick wool and placed her gently on the gurney. I watched as she placed an oxygen mask over the woman's face . I pulled my own face shield away from me and shrugged off the tank on my back, handing it to Johnny. I ran over to the gurney and helped Emy push it along the tarmac. As we ran along the street, she asked me a ton of questions.

"How responsive was she when you found her?" Emy asked.

"She was unconscious. I heard a few grumbles and groans come from her when I was coming down the stairwell," I answered as best I could.

"Breathing?"

"Ragged but regular."

We stopped the gurney just in front of the ramp of Ambulance 14 and Emy lifted up the woman's eyelids and shone her thin light into the two hazel orbs. I unbuckled my helmet and took it off, placing it on the gurney just down from the woman's feet. I finally got a chance to look at the woman I had saved and my breath caught in my throat. Despite being pulled out of a fire in her underwear, she was absolutely beautiful. My eyes caught glimpses of her creamy skin under layers of black dust and grime. Her cropped hair and wavy bangs sat near perfect on her head and scalds lined her defined jaw. Her limbs battered and bruised but still subtly toned and gorgeous. I couldn't help but just gaze at her perfection.

"Uh oh, I know that look," Emy frowned at me.

"What?!" I asked, shocked.

"Tegan Quin, I have known you for seven years and lived with you for three," she started, "I know you and how your mind works."

"Come on, Emy. She's beautiful but you know that we can't mix work with pleasure."

"So focus on your job, Lieutenant."

I sighed. As usual, Emy was right. I watched as she worked away on the woman and prepared her for her short trip in Ambulance 14. Emy hopped up into the back of the ambulance and searched around for sterile wipes while I watched the patient. Her breathing seemed clearer with the fresh oxygen in her lungs and her lips twitched gently under the mask.

As I stood I felt a light touch to my hand. I looked down and saw the woman's small hand reaching for mine, her fingers grazing the skin of my knuckles. I called for Emy who came back out of the ambulance and down to the ground again. I grabbed onto the fragile hand trying to reach me, making sure to be gentle. The woman murmured some more but I couldn't hear her through the mask. I leant down a little and tried to listen but all I could hear was the air escaping from between her lips. Emy took the oxygen mask away from her face and a hint of a smile crept across her lips, her eyes sparkling.

"Thank you," she barely breathed.

I placed a hand on the woman's forehead and swept her bangs back for her. She tried so hard to say more but couldn't get anything out.

"Shh shh, don't say anything," I soothed, "You're safe now."

"We really need to get her to the hospital," Emy interjected.

I nodded and helped her push the gurney onto the ramp and into the ambulance. Emy hooked her patient up to the monitors inside the ambulance and I stepped back out, looking at her before closing the doors and waiting for the driver to start the engine. The sirens started and they drove off, racing to the hospital. I turned and started walking back to Engine 44, Truck 24, and my squad truck. A few members of the public came up and shook my hand, congratulating me and the boys for our efforts. I smiled and gratefully thanked them.

I got to the Squad 8 truck and started to open the door, lifting my hand to my head to take off my helmet. My hand met nothing but the hair on my head. My helmet. I left it on the gurney. Ambulance 14 was gone. I cursed. I never let that helmet out of my sight and now I had left it lying around carelessly. Emy would get it back to me. She knew how much it meant to me. I sighed and jumped up into the truck.

I unlocked the door and entered my apartment, dropping my rucksack onto the floor and kicking off my boots. I went straight to the refrigerator and grabbed a beer, taking the cap off with my teeth and gulping down the cool liquid.

If it wasn't for Emy, my place would probably be a mess. Emy kept things neat and organised but left enough room for me to have my personal space. She had her space for her art supplies and books and I had my space for my gym equipment, guitars, and vinyl collection. We were completely opposite people, but our friendship was strong and I didn't know what I'd do without her.

I was glad I passed on going to The Molly with the boys from the station. After saving that woman in the boxer briefs, the rest of my day seemed insignificant. I couldn't shake the image of her trying so hard to speak to me. If I thought about it hard enough, I could still feel her hand in mine. The whole thing terrified me because it was so wrong. It would be against firehouse rules to become personally involved with a victim or colleague. I didn't even know if she was into girls. As I stood in my kitchen, wondering and drinking my beer, my cell phone rang. A picture of Emy and I at last year's Coachella flashed up on the caller ID. I accepted the call.

"Tegan, she's going to be okay," Emy said urgently.

"Who?" I asked.

"The girl from the loft fire," Emy replied, "Her name is Sara, actually."

"She's alright?!" I couldn't contain my relief.

"She'll be kept in the hospital tonight for observation, but she should be discharged tomorrow."

"That's great, Emy. You did an amazing job today."

"Thanks, Teegs."

"Hey, Em. Remember you owe me that dinner," I smiled.

"Fine," she laughed, "I'll be home soon."

We said our goodbyes and hung up. Relief washed over me at the news of the woman's recovery. I couldn't bring myself to think about what would have happened if things had went any other way. I walked over to the punching bag I had hanging in our rather spacious living room. I grabbed onto the hem of my t shirt and pulled it off, leaving me in just my sports bra. I unzipped my jeans and tugged them off until I was just down to my boxers. I plugged my iPod into the stereo and put on some Against Me! before grabbing my boxing gloves. I punched away at the bag and got lost in the sound of punk angst. I couldn't help but let my mind wander to the woman again as I broke into a sweat, punching harder and harder.

I had to do something with my feelings. I couldn't let them go. I couldn't let the thought of her go. Sara.


	2. My Hero

**Mayday**

**Chapter Two: My Hero **

**Tegan **

Everyone from Engine 44, Truck 24, Squad 8, and Ambulance 14 had dinner together in the community wing every Wednesday night on late shift. We liked to call it "family bonding". Each team took it in turns to cook every week and tonight it was our turn in Squad.

I stood at the bench with Jason, helping him peel and chop vegetables to make a chunky tomato sauce that would be put in tonight's lasagne. The rest of our company sat at the table and chatted amongst themselves, sipping their beers.

"You missed one hell of a game last night, Tegan!" Damon called over to me, his thick Australian accent standing out from the buzzing of voices.

"Hell yeah," added Johnny, "The Molly was packed last night. We even had to surrender your stool!"

I laughed, thinking of the bar stool at The Molly that I had claimed after engraving my name onto the leg with a penknife in a drunken state one St Paddy's day. To this day, it still belongs to me.

I dumped a handful of diced carrots into the pot and gave it a stir. We continued our playful banter as we prepared the meal and let it cook. Once we all sat down to eat, the administrator's voice came over the loudspeaker.

_"Lieutenant Quin, you have a visitor waiting in the main bay." _

I grumbled, shoving one last forkful of lasagne into my mouth, and got up from the table. I made my way down the hall and into the bay and scanned around, seeing no one.

"Hello?" I called out.

She stepped out from behind Engine 44 and I had to contain a little gasp that threatened to rise from my throat. She looked so much better than when I pulled her out of her burning apartment. Her beautiful skin and hazel eyes shone out and her hair lay perfectly in place. She beamed at me and my heart leapt into my mouth.

"Hey," she approached me and held out her hand, "I'm Sara Clement."

"I couldn't forget your face," I said, quickly trying to turn on my charm as I shook her hand. It still felt the same as I remembered.

She blushed, "You must be Quin."

"It's Tegan... I mean you can call me Tegan."

"Well I think I have something that belongs to you, Tegan."

Sara opened her backpack up and pulled out my helmet. It's familiar shiny red paint was gleaming.

"Thank you so much," I grinned as I took it from her, "You have no idea how much it means to me."

Sara came closer to me and put her hands on the side of the helmet, her thumb grazing the engraving of my family name.

"I'd like to find out," she smiled, "I'd like to find out about the person I owe my life to."

I smiled, "It's my job, ma'am. It's what I do."

"Well, you should give yourself more credit," she stated, stepping back and gazing around the bay.

We stood in silence and I watched her stare me up and down. I didn't look at my best: helmet hair, dusty fire pants with my suspenders hanging down, a dark Squad 8 t shirt, and thick socks.

"Come have a drink with me some time?" I suggested, throwing caution to the wind.

"I'd like that," she smiled.

Sara came closer again and took my helmet into her hands. She turned it the right way and then placed it on my head, smiling.

"I'm sorry if I ruined your dinner, Lieutenant," she apologised.

"Never." I said, "Would you like to join us?"

"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude. I'll see you soon. Goodnight, Lieutenant Tegan Quin."

"Goodnight, Miss Sara Clement."

And with that, she was gone. I leant against Truck 24 and watched as she walked from the firehouse and turned around the street corner. I padded back down the hall and walked back into the community wing. It was Emy who first spotted the grand return of my helmet. Her eyes said it all but she remained silent as she stared at me from across the table. I took the helmet off of my head and placed it on one of the couches before sitting back down at my place.

I finished my meal and then helped Emy gather up the dishes and bring them over to the sink. We stood, Emy with her hands in the suds and me leaning my back against the counter with a dish rag in hand for drying.

"Was that Sara waiting for you in the bay?" she asked.

"Yeah." I tried to act casual, "She was just returning my helmet."

"Tegan," she sighed.

"Nothing happened," I tried to deflect the judgement in her voice.

"Really?" Emy wasn't playing my game, "Nothing?"

" I may have asked her to have a drink with me..."

"Well, Lieutenant Quin, I hope you're happy."

Emy was hitting all of my weak spots with her words that were dripping with bitterness.

"Yes, Dr Storey. I am."

She pulled the plug from the sink and let the dirty water drain away. She handed me an armful of plates before looking me straight in the eye.

"Your dad would be disappointed in your judgements, Tegan. Just remember that."

I watched her walk off towards our locker room. She knew how to hit me where it hurts the most and that killed me. I put the plates away and headed over to the couch to grab my helmet. I picked it up and stared at it. Poking out from under the elastic of my flashlight beam strap was a little bit of white paper. I pulled it out and unfolded it.

_Quin. My hero._

Sara's messy scrawl left the message and her phone number. I grinned like a goof. The clock read close to midnight and I pondered calling so late. The disadvantage of working in emergency services were the long, unpredictable hours. What came hand in hand with that were short, unpredictable relationships. I pulled out my cell phone and saved Sara's number. My eyes darted back to the clock. "Fuck it," I thought and pressed the call button. It rang out and panic stirred within me. Finally, she answered.

"Hello?" her sleepy voice answered.

"Sara?" I tried so hard not to sound so nervous, "It's Tegan."

"Oh, good evening Lieutenant," she chuckled, "Or should I say good morning?"

"Listen, I was wondering if you wanted to have that drink?"

"Right now?"

"My shift is ending in thirty minutes."

"Oh wow... okay," she replied and I was stunned.

"Cool." My voice cracked a little and I heard her trying to suppress a giggle, "Come down to the firehouse and I'll meet you here."

"It's a date."

I sat on my stool at The Molly with Sara sitting beside me. I watched her as she sipped her scotch, tapping her nails against the wooden bar top. The bar was pretty much empty in the early hours of the morning.

"This place is amazing," she beamed at me.

The Molly sat on a quiet street in downtown Vancouver. It had been standing for nearly 50 years and was the official firehouse bar of Vancouver Fire and Rescue. Decorated with dark wood, red leather booths, and Vancouver Fire and Rescue memorabilia, it was our company's designated hang out spot.

"She sure is," I smiled back, "I've been drinking here for nearly ten years now, but I grew up spending my nights in this bar."

"How come?" Sara asked before sipping more scotch.

I turned in my stool to face the bar and pointed to the back wall. A picture frame lit by a single spotlight sat on a shelf behind the bar. Four men stood just in front of a Squad truck, smiling. Three of them were dressed in their rescue gear; one lieutenant and two regular firemen. The fourth man was wearing Vancouver Fire and Rescue Captain's formal dress: jacket with braiding, tri colour tie with a pin, and a cap with braiding and badge. His eyes crinkled as he smiled and his brilliant moustache stood out amongst the younger, clean shaven faces.

"That is Captain Frank Quin with Squad 8 of 1979." I told her, "He was my father."

"Was?" she asked gently.

"He died saving a family from a burning apartment block in 1990. I was ten."

Sara scooted her stool closer to me and placed her hand on top of mine, resting them on the bar top. "I'm so sorry, Tegan," she said. It was the first time that whole night that she actually said my name sincerely with no hint of a joke.

"It's alright," I lied and then sighed, "What a depressing start to a first date."

She looked at me with a hint of mischief in her eyes and flashed me a smile, "Oh, so it is a date then?"

I liked this girl. I liked her a lot. Her humour was sharp and she could banter with me. Her sexy little lisp made me hang off of every word she dared utter. She was mostly shy but selectively confident. Her natural intelligence shone through and just the touch of her hand made the fire starting deep inside of me burn brighter.

"Since this is a date," I smirked, "tell me a little more about yourself, Miss Clement."

"I don't even know where to start," she blushed.

"Let's start with your interesting fashion choices, shall we?" My lips pulled into a gummy smile, "Normally I don't get to see a girl in her underwear on the first date, never mind beforehand..."

Sara's blush went from a light pink to near scarlet. She took a rather large gulp of her scotch and emptied the glass.

"No need to be embarrassed," I purred.

"Of all the things I could have been wearing!" She threw her hand to her mouth in horror, "And the whole block must have seen me when you pulled me out! Jesus Christ."

"I thought you looked incredible," I smiled.

Sara ran her hand through her bangs and pushed them to the side, smiling sheepishly. I watched her as she pushed up the sleeves of her blue button up and saw glimpses of ink that decorated her pale skin. I made a mental note to ask about them later.

"So Batman is an interesting choice," I laughed.

"I'm really into comic books," she replied, "That's actually what I do."

"You're an artist?"

She nodded, "I work for the DC imprint, Vertigo. Mostly it's just fantasy stuff."

Something occurred to me and I had to ask.

"Did you lose your work in the fire?"

"My current projects are just ash now," she sighed, "Some of my comic book collection was destroyed too."

"God, Sara, I'm so sorry," I placed a hand on her knee.

"I keep my valuable comics in storage so that's a positive," she sighed.

We ordered another round on my tab and kept talking. She told me about growing up in Montreal and moving to Vancouver for work. I told her about living in the firehouse with my dad after my mum left. She told me about her apartment and all the books, comics, photographs, and memories she lost. I never used to get the chance to actually hear firsthand how badly the fires I faced ruined people's lives. My heart bled for Sara as I watched a few tears form in her eyes.

"Where have you been staying?" I asked. I knew the investigation team weren't going to start evaluating Sara's case until later that week. They would have placed her in some sort of temporary accommodation.

"In a hotel a few blocks away," she replied, "It'll do until they let me go back and fix everything."

The thought crossed my mind to invite her to stay in our apartment. Emy would be mad but the more time I spent with Sara, the more I didn't care about what Emy said. I was done with her looking after me all the time.

"Sara?" I started and she looked over to me.

"Yeah, Tegan?"

"Do you want to come stay with me tonight?"

She looked a little shocked at my question and I immediately regretted asking.

"Tegan," her voice wavered a little, "This isn't some weird way of you asking to get into my pants, is it?"

I immediately jumped to defend myself, "God no! Sara, I really didn't mean it like that!"

She paused and I held my breath, hoping she didn't think I was some sort of pervert.

"I'll come and stay with you, Tegan." she smiled. "Thank you."

I flashed her a gummy smile and held out my hand. Sara stood up and linked her fingers with mine. I pulled her out of the front door of The Molly and we walked back to the firehouse hand in hand.

After collecting my car from the parking lot of the firehouse, we drove to Sara's hotel. I waited outside in the car while she ran up to her room to pack an overnight bag out of the remaining possessions she had.

Once we climbed the stairs up to my apartment, I told Sara to stay in the hall. I turned my key in the lock and quietly crept in, praying that Emy was asleep in bed. Once I reached the living room I found her sprawled out on the couch, sleeping with the television still on. I panicked as the plan I had formed in my head disintegrated. I quietly turned off the television and grabbed a blanket from the hall closet, coming back into the living room to drape it over Emy's tiny frame. Slowly, I crept back down the hall and out of the door. Sara looked at me suspiciously as I tried my best to not let it close with a slam.

"We might have a_ slight_ problem," I breathed.

"How slight is slight?" Sara asked.

"I live with Emy, the EMT that took you to the hospital," I told her, "She's asleep on the couch that I wanted you to sleep on."

"Oh," Sara seemed surprised that I was panicking over nothing, "I'll just crash on the floor."

"I couldn't let you do that," I insisted, "Your apartment just burnt down and now you're expected to sleep on someone's floor!"

"Well, what do you suggest?"

I stood and thought for a moment before reaching for her hand. She grabbed onto it tightly as I turned to slowly open the door. I pulled her down the hall and directed her into my bedroom, closing the door quietly behind us. I watched her as her eyes gazed around my room and finally settled on my king sized bed.

"Tegan..." she started.

"Hey," I held my hands up defensively, "I won't even touch you. I'll even create a pillow barrier if you want."

She pondered my suggestion.

"It's just for one night, Sara."

"Okay," she replied hesitantly.

I took her bag from her and sat it at the foot of my bed. I showed her where the bathroom and kitchen were before she excused herself to change. Once she left, I began to a panic again. I had no idea what was appropriate to wear to bed when you would be sharing it, in a nonsexual manner, with a woman you hadn't even kissed yet. I settled for an old Vancouver Canucks t shirt and a pair of boxers. Sara crept back into the room, dressed similarly to the time when I first met her. Her hip bones jutted out under her boxer briefs and the Metric t shirt she wore was just a little too tight. I couldn't help but stare at her.

I crawled under the covers and pulled back a corner for her to join me. She slid under the sheets and smiled at me.

"Would you like me to fashion a suitable pillow barrier?" I chuckled.

"I can survive without one, thank you," she grinned.

I stretched over her and turned off the bedside lamps on my two nightstands before letting my head drop onto my pillow. Sara gathered the covers up and lay down with a sigh, facing in the opposite direction from me. Just as I was close to drifting off, I felt her hand reaching for mine under the sheets.

"Goodnight, Tegan," she whispered, rubbing her thumb over the back of my hand.

"Goodnight, Sara."


	3. Collapse

**Mayday**

**Chapter Three: Collapse **

**A/N: Hey, guys. Thank you so much for all the love so far. I really appreciate it. I'm still such a noob with so excuse the fact that all my attempts to put in scene breaks have totally failed so far. I hope I've fixed it this time but if I haven't then please forgive me. **

**Tegan**

I woke to the feeling of soft lips on my neck. I opened my eyes and squinted a little, adjusting to the morning light streaming in through the window. I looked down to find Sara in my arms, one leg thrown over my waist with her face nuzzled into my neck. She sighed happily in her sleep and I felt her hold on me tighten a little. I couldn't quite remember when she crawled towards me and lay with me, but I didn't mind. I looked back down and smiled, stroking her hair with my free hand. Before I knew it I drifted off to sleep again with her still in my arms.

The next time I opened my eyes I looked over to find Sara sitting up, the picture frame that normally sat on my nightstand in her hands. She stared at it with a small smile.

"Good morning," I whispered so not to startle her.

"Good morning, Tegan," she beamed down at me.

I pushed myself up from my sleeping position and sat closer to her. I gazed down at the picture in her hands.

"How old were you when this was taken?" she asked.

"Maybe about eight I think."

She was staring down at a photograph of me with my father. Little me had her arms wrapped around his neck from behind, chin resting on his strong shoulder. He was laughing as the picture was taken. Our faces took up most of the frame but the firehouse was just visible in the background.

She turned to me and touched my face gently with the tips of her fingers.

"You have his eyes," she said.

I placed my hand on the side of her face, my thumb just resting on her bottom lip. I gently moved my fingers down, my thumb pulling at her lip a little as it traced down from her chin to her neck. My mind was screaming at me. It begged for me to just let our lips meet. I wanted her to feel everything I felt. Neither of us moved.

"Want to grab some breakfast?" I asked and she nodded.

I reached for her hand and pulled her out of bed. She followed me down the hall and into the kitchen. Emy still slept on the couch and we were careful to be as quiet as possible. Sara sat on the counter top while I ran back down the hall to pick up the mail and the newspaper that had been pushed through the door. As soon as she spied the paper in my hands she made grabby hand motions at me and pulled her face into a cute pout. I chuckled quietly before passing it to her. She pulled out a pair of thick black framed glasses and put them on before delving into the newsprint.

"Coffee?" I asked.

She peered over the paper and smiled, "God, I thought you'd never ask."

I made a fresh pot and began gathering the ingredients for pancakes as Sara still sat on the counter, swinging her bare legs and biting her lip as she read the paper in great detail. We existed in our own silence before a loud cough came from the couch, startling us both. Sara immediately closed the paper, jumping off of the counter and taking her glasses off. I turned to face the open living room, spatula still in hand.

"Good morning, Emy," I smiled slyly.

She glared at me through sleepy eyes and then turned her head to stare at Sara. I passed Sara her cup of coffee and she accepted it gratefully, shying away from Emy's gaze.

"Please tell me you didn't...," she asked with a sense of shock in her voice.

"No!" Sara and I blurted out simultaneously.

Emy pushed the blanket off and swung her legs around. She got up and walked across to the counter before grabbing the pot of coffee.

"It's nice to see you again, Emy," Sara smiled at her.

"I'm glad to see you better, Sara," Emy returned her smile as she poured herself a cup.

"I invited her to stay," I rambled, "Just for one night."

"Good, cause we're on late shift again tonight," Emy reminded me before sipping her coffee.

I went back to the pancakes and plated them up. I set three places at the table and we ate in an awkward silence. Emy occasionally asked Sara little bits about herself but it was nothing I didn't already know. I shovelled syrupy goodness into my mouth and said nothing. Once we had finished Sara excused herself to shower, giving Emy her chance to pounce on me.

"What the fuck were you thinking bringing her back here?!" she hissed at me.

"Investigation stuck her in some crappy hotel and I felt bad for her."

"If the Chief finds out you've had her in this house he could suspend us both!" she exclaimed, trying to keep her voice out of Sara's earshot.

"Well he won't find out, will he?" I eyed her up and down, making sure she got the message.

She sighed, "Fine, but I will not get dragged down with you once you are found out."

Emy huffed and reached for the paper as I started on the dishes. The lock on the bathroom door clicked as Sara emerged, dressed in jeans and a baggy sweater. I patted Emy on the shoulder and smiled before abandoning the dishes, ushering Sara into my bedroom. I closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm really sorry about Emy," I said as I sat on the edge of my bed.

"She doesn't have dibs, does she?" Sara asked.

"Oh God no." I laughed, "Emy is like family to me."

"You're working late tonight?" she enquired, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Perks of the job. Even after ten years it doesn't get any better."

Sara stood up and started to pull things back into her overnight bag. I didn't want her to leave. I wanted to cook her dinner and maybe even have some more secret cuddles. I decided to not ask her about this morning's events. I knew that if I found out she did it accidently then I wouldn't be able to deal with it.

"Sara..."

She turned and smiled at me while zipping up her bag, "Yes, Tegan?"

"Come to work with me," I said seriously.

I couldn't let her leave me. Not yet.

"Come on, don't be ridiculous," she laughed but I retained my serious composure.

"I'm serious. I wasn't the only one who saved you from that building. They deserve your thanks too."

Sara slipped her bag on over her shoulders and grabbed onto my hand. She reached up and swept my bangs out of my eyes. "Okay, I'll come," she said, "But you should get dressed first."

I walked into the community wing with Sara by my side. Emy refused to ride to the firehouse with us in my car, opting for the bus instead. As soon as they saw that I wasn't alone, the boys immediately turned their attention to Sara as she stood behind me shyly.

"Boys, you remember Sara?" I introduced her, "I pulled her out of her burning apartment."

She was greeted by a chorus of hellos and a few handshakes. I introduced her to every single one of them individually and told her a little about how they helped on the day of her rescue.

"I really can't thank you guys enough for what you did," she said sincerely.

After chatting some more I decided to give Sara the grand tour. I showed her the main bay, the kitchen, my locker, the gym, the admin office, and the dorm.

"Do you sleep here often?" she asked as I showed her one of the rooms we used when we had to catch up on sleep during long shifts.

"After my dad died and I had no place else to go, I pretty much lived in the firehouse," I said.

"They didn't put you in a foster home?"

"Oh, they did," I smirked, "I always ran back here in the end."

_"Calling Engine 44, Truck 24, Squad 8, and Ambulance 14. Fire at abandoned warehouse on East docks. Approximately four or five civilians trapped."_

Sara jumped as the loudspeaker rang out and I immediately sprang into action.

"Duty calls," I smiled and made for the door, "You can stay here but in case you want to leave, take my car keys."

I threw open the door and ran down the hall towards the main bay, not looking back at Sara once.

**Sara**

I followed Tegan down the hall and into the main bay. She ran to her equipment station and started pulling on her boots and fire pants. I made sure to be out of anyone's way as the boys ran around me in circles. Watching them all made my head spin. Emy burst out of the double doors, grabbed her medical kit and ran to the ambulance. In seconds the engine roared and the sirens started before it skidded out of the firehouse and around the corner. I watched Tegan as she pulled on her helmet and ran to the squad truck. Her strength and grace was mesmerising to watch.

"Tegan!" I called to her just as she reached the door of the Squad truck.

She whipped her head around but she didn't smile. She was in her zone.

"Be safe," I said, my voice wavering.

She finally smiled at me, "Always."

She jumped into the truck and in seconds Johnny had started the engine and they sped off around the corner. I watched as both Engine 44 and Truck 24 followed them out and soon I was alone in the empty bay. My mind was still spinning at the speed and urgency of it all. The thought of Tegan being faced with perilous danger made my stomach churn but I admired her bravery for the job she managed to be so good at. I felt useless before remembering the car keys I had in my hand.

I ran out of the bay and out onto the street. I reached Tegan's old Honda Civic hatchback and unlocked it before sliding in and slamming the door shut. It took a few turns of the key to finally get the engine going but it finally came to life and I slammed my foot on the gas. I flew down the streets, heading East to the docks.

I could smell the fire before I could see it. The rancid smell of the smoke brought my mind back to that moment I first discovered the fire ripping through my apartment. I turned a corner and drove down a small gravel road before reaching a small parking lot at the end of the further away dock. I looked around and saw the inferno that had seemingly sprung up out of nowhere. The wind whipping the flames out of windows carried the smoke out onto the open sea. I slammed the car door shut and ran down the harbour. I could hear the sirens from the fire trucks and I knew I was close. I finally skid to a halt as I came to a bigger parking lot where a small crowd of dock workers had started gathering. I approached them and spotted the Vancouver Fire and Rescue tape that separated the public from the danger zone of the warehouse. I pushed my way closer until I was stopped by the tape. Two police officers were stationed behind the tape making sure that no one crossed the threshold, so I stood and watched in awe. Fear for Tegan ripped right through me and I was pretty sure that I had forgotten how to breathe.

**Tegan **

I stepped through what remained of the front entrance to the warehouse and the heat and dust that hit me made me reach to adjust my face shield a little tighter. Rob and Ted were following my lead and their presence made me feel a little more reassured. Chief Burgan briefed us that the blaze was started by a suspected gas leak in an old pipe and that we were going in to pull out up to five squatters who had been crashing here.

"Alright boys, spread out!" I shouted, "Keep your radios on and watch your backs."

"Yes, Lieutenant Quin," they answered in unison.

I kept moving forward with my head low. I could hear the timber beams above me creaking and cracking under the heat. I made sure my ground was clear before beginning to climb the stairs up to the next level. I covered the perimeter with my flashlight beam and searched for hidden bodies.

"Vancouver Fire and Rescue. Call out!" I screamed as best I could.

There was a pause before I heard distant cries and I picked up my pace. I crossed more ground and flashed my beam into every corner of the vast space in front of me. I found one civilian tucked away in a corner, a beam trapping his legs. I reached for my radio.

"Tell Dr Storey on the ground that we have one casualty. Looks like a potential double leg brake. Over."

"Copy that, Lieutenant."

I leant down and put myself as close to the man as possible. His face displayed nothing but sheer terror.

"I'm going to try and remove this beam. Please stay relaxed, Sir." I said to him calmly.

He nodded with pleading eyes before coughing and spluttering as more smoke filled his lungs. I grabbed hold of the beam and hoisted it up with all the strength I could muster. I managed to lift it up just a fraction.

"Crawl out! Crawl out!" I shouted to the man as he tried his hardest to move from under the beam, his legs dragging behind him.

I ran back around to him and picked him up as carefully as I could. He cried out in pain but it couldn't be helped. I turned with him hoisted over my shoulder and made for the stairs. As soon as my boot met the top step an almighty crash came from above as the ceiling began to collapse around me. I bolted down the stairs and made it to the bottom as rubble started spilling down to the ground floor. I looked ahead to see Rob and Ted running as fast as they could out of any available exit and I carried on. Another almighty rumble came again as I watched parts of the ceiling collapse around me. I ran as fast as I could across the ground, dodging falling pieces of brick, wood, and plaster.

Before I could make it a huge piece of the ceiling landed in front of me, knocking me off my feet with the man still in my arms. I bounced off of the floor and landed flat on my back, the civilian crying out in even more pain as his face met the stone below us. I opened my eyes and squinted as the air filled with clouds of plaster and rock dust. The hard plastic of my face shield had shattered into a million pieces and my eyes stung as the dust flew into them. I ripped the shield off of my face and shoved it to one side. I could barely see as I tried my best to hoist the man again and continue moving.

**Sara**

There was barely any way of telling what was going on at any given moment. I saw the Chief of Tegan's firehouse standing shouting orders and I spied Emy rushing frantically with gurneys and breathing apparatus. I listened to the nervous chatter of the dock workers around me and caught snippets about predicted gas leaks and weak beams. My heart hammered in my chest as I watched the boys on the roof make air vents that covered them with smoke and dusty grime. I saw Rob run out of the ground level exit with a casualty who was passed straight to Emy. I counted as they pulled four civilians out one at a time. It all made me wonder how my own rescue must have looked to a spectator on the ground.

I was lost in the surreal nature of it all when I heard the crash. The sound of hundreds of beams and bricks crashing down drove into our heads as each floor of the building collapsed in succession. My hand flew to my mouth as I watched the boys trying to escape from it all. The medics and the guys on the ground all had to push back as plumes of dust erupted from the rubble. A voice inside my head screamed Tegan's name over and over. I pictured her face as she gazed down at me as I lay on the gurney. The warmth in her eyes. My muscles were so tense that I could barely move from my spot behind the tape.

I watched as the second last floor collapsed. I had yet to see Tegan emerge from the chaos and my mind was reaching near hysterics. Rob and Ted tumbled out of the rubble and my mind expected Tegan to be following them but she didn't come out. The last ceiling collapsed and I couldn't hold back my scream. The police officers looked at me with great concern but I didn't care if I made a spectacle of myself.

Everyone was silent. The sirens had been turned off and the tension in the air was suffocating. I watched as everyone on the ground stared into the clouds of dust, praying she would appear. Tegan was the only one left. I wondered if this was what it felt like to witness her father's death. Was there anyone there to hold him in his dying moments?

That's when she appeared. She threw herself out of the building and out into the open air. She was carrying a man on her back and the EMT's all ran to his aid.

As soon as I set eyes on her I couldn't stop myself from running. I pulled the tape over my head and took off in a sprint. I saw the police officers lunge for me, one almost grabbing me around the waist, but I managed to wriggle free. A few of the boys tried to block my path to her but I barged through. Tegan was on her knees gasping for air, wheezing and choking down the poison in her lungs. As soon as Emy got the casualty on a gurney and hooked him up to gas and air, she ran back to Tegan.

I got there first and dropped to my knees in front of her as she collapsed into me. I ripped her jacket and helmet off and tossed them to the side. I held her up as she breathed heavily. She took one look at me and burst into tears. I couldn't stop sobs escaping from me as she cried. I held onto her so tightly that I thought I would break her. I put a hand on either side of her face and held her head up to look at me. Through her tears and erratic gasping, she mustered her little gummy smile.

"Don't you ever fucking leave me, Tegan," I sobbed.

She smirked, "P-Promise."

Despite her inability to breathe evenly I couldn't stop myself from crashing my lips to hers. She gripped onto me tightly as I clung to her. I felt her kiss me back weakly with as much passion as I put in. Even covered in ash, her lips still tasted sweet.

I pulled away and she gasped down as much air as she could. I pulled her into me, hugging her close. No one stopped me. Not even Emy. They just let us have our moment. Just for a second.


	4. Nightmare

**Mayday**

**Chapter Four: Nightmare **

**A/N: This chapter is a mixture of fluff and weirdness. I got to a bit of a block with this one but after a really nice PM I received, I managed to come up with what I needed. They reminded me where the inspiration for this fic came from and it really helped. I dedicate this chapter to them. They know who they are. **

**Sara**

Stale air, crappy coffee, distant voices, and uncomfortable chairs. Sitting in a hall outside the emergency room in Vancouver General, I felt weary. I was snapped at by an agitated nurse and told to wait until I was called. I buried my face into my jacket and waited as the seconds crept by. I just wanted to see her. I had to know she was safe.

"Miss Clement?"

I sat up as the same nurse approached and motioned for me to follow her. She took me through the double doors and into the busy ER, stopping at one of the curtained cubicles. She ripped back the curtain and revealed Tegan sitting up on a gurney with Emy perched on a chair that was squished into the corner. I struggled to get words out as my gaze met the sight of Tegan in just a sports bra and boxers. Despite her face being smudged with ash and her hair slightly slicked back with grease, she still managed to look sexy. Her tight abs, strong shoulders, and firm biceps made me a little weak at the knees. Emy shot me a cold look as she watched me stare.

"You only have ten minutes here, Miss Clement, before the doctor will come down for Lieutenant Quin's assessments, so make it quick," the nurse said before leaving, closing the curtain behind her.

Tegan smiled at me under her oxygen mask and I shot a goofy smile right back at her. She reached out for my hand and I happily linked my fingers with hers, bringing our clasped hands up to my lips to kiss her fingers.

"Could we have some privacy?" I asked Emy.

She took a minute to register my request before rising from the chair. "You've got some nerve," she hissed and stormed out of the cubicle.

I grabbed the chair and pulled it closer to the gurney before sitting down next to Tegan. She pulled the mask away from her face as I reached up to stroke her hair.

"You gonna tell me why Emy is being so hostile?" I asked.

She sighed but it came out as more of a splutter. I kissed her temple and she closed her eyes for a second.

"I'll probably lose my job after this, Sara," she croaked.

"What do you mean lose your job?!" I asked, outraged, "You nearly died saving a man from his own death and you think they're going to fire you for ending up in the ER?!"

"It's not that, Sara," her voice escaped as a whisper, "It was the kiss."

I blushed, "What about it?"

"Vancouver Fire and Rescue have a strict policy about dating co-workers and victims. To put it simply, you can't."

"Oh," was all I could say.

I actually couldn't understand why I didn't think of that before. It made perfect sense. With a job like Tegan's she couldn't afford to get personally attached to every victim. It was unprofessional, especially for a Lieutenant.

"But why should Emy be concerned?" I asked, "She has nothing to do with what goes on between us."

"They have it on record that she lives with me. If they find out that you've been at the apartment they could suspend Emy for failure to report breach of policy."

I looked away from her as she spoke, feeling ashamed. They had both worked so hard doing something that they loved and I came along and ruined everything. It wasn't fair. I owed them both my life and now I was taking theirs away from them. I felt a cold hand on my face as Tegan turned my head for me to look at her again.

"Sara," she coughed out, "You shouldn't be mad at yourself."

I stared back down at our linked hands, "How can I not be?"

"Sara, look at me."

I brought my head up again and was met by her soft, hazel eyes. For a second they made my self-hatred melt away.

"I want you, Sara. From the moment I pulled you out of that burning building I knew I wanted you. I thought I was going to die today and the thought of leaving you behind nearly killed me before any lack of oxygen could."

I stood up and held my face just over hers. I let our lips barely touch and as she tried to reach for mine with her own I caught her bottom lip between my teeth. She giggled under me until I finally let our lips meet for real. We were completely lost in the feeling until a loud cough interrupted us.

"Every time," Tegan laughed as I pulled away.

I turned to see the doctor smiling at us as he closed the curtain. I smiled back and started to edge my way out of the cubicle before I heard a strained protest from Tegan.

"Don't leave me," she begged.

I looked to the doctor and he nodded. I backed up into the chair and began to stroke Tegan's hair again. She gave a little sigh of happiness and I smiled shyly as my stomach did a flip.

**Tegan **

We were stuck in the hospital for another four hours before they finally let me go home. Sara insisted that she come back to the apartment to help look after me and I didn't object. Emy voiced her disagreement but it was two against one. We drove back in silence. Once we got home, Emy decided to leave again.

"I'm going to The Molly," she announced as she grabbed her keys, "I'll be back whenever."

As soon as Emy left I pounced on Sara. Lips crashed into lips as I felt her hands creep under my shirt to rest on my stomach.

"I forgot to tell you just how hot you look," Sara purred between kisses.

"Oh really?" I smirked.

"Really, really."

We made out for a few more minutes until I became breathless. Sara pulled away and looked at me with concern.

"I'm fine," I wheezed, "Just a little tired."

Sara's concern turned into a smile as she lifted her hand to my face and wiped my cheek, her fingers coming away black.

"I think we should get you into a bath," she giggled and I nodded.

Sara ushered me into the bathroom and reached for the hem of my t shirt. She pulled it off and tossed it into the laundry basket as I turned on the water. She undid my belt as she placed a gentle kiss on each of my bare shoulders. I took off my pants as she added a ton of bubble bath into the water.

"Turn around," I said as Sara covered her eyes with her hands and turned towards the door.

I took off my underwear before hopping into the tub. The bubbles came up to my chest and I scooped some up and made myself a bubble beard. Sara turned back to me and burst out laughing as I flashed her a gummy smile. She knelt beside the tub and reached for my shampoo.

"You are so cute," she said as she rubbed the soap into my hair.

I blew some of my bubble beard at her and the soap landed on her jeans. She chuckled before leaning in for another kiss.

"I think I need your kisses more than I needed that oxygen today," I beamed.

"Well, you can have them," she kissed me again, "anytime you want."

She flicked the warm water at me gently before rinsing the shampoo out of my hair. Sara scrubbed my back and face clean for me as I wiggled my toes in the water. She stood back and grabbed a towel, holding it out for me with her face turned away and eyes closed. I got out of the tub and stepped into the towel. Sara wrapped it around me and pulled me into a hug.

"I don't know what I would have done without you, Tegan," she whispered.

I placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, "I'm here now and I'm not leaving. I promise."

**Sara **

I was falling for her. Not even a week since we had first laid eyes on each other and I was just taken in by her. Her eyes, her smell, her toned body, her laugh, her wicked sense of humour. I wasn't just falling this time, I was hurtling towards a potentially painful ending. I had been at that painful ending before and I wasn't prepared to go back.

But she said she wanted me. And I wanted her. I wanted every inch of her. The thought of her powerful body on top of mine made me melt to my core. No one had wanted me in a such a long time.

I left Tegan to get dried off and got ready for bed myself. Once I had changed back into my Metric t shirt and boxer briefs, I slid under Tegan's covers with the latest issue of American Vampire. When she came back through to her bedroom I gazed at her over the rim of my glasses.

"You look sexy when you're being all nerdy," she giggled.

"I'll pretend not to be a little offended," I smirked.

She joined me under the covers and I sat with her body between my legs, her back against my chest. I pulled the comic book into her lap so we could both see and she rested her head against my shoulder. I drew small circles on her stomach with the tips of my fingers as I read and she sighed happily.

"Tell me what you're thinking," Tegan whispered.

"I'm thinking about work," I said before leaning in to kiss her neck.

Tegan squeezed my thigh, "What about it?"

"My latest project was destroyed in the fire and I'll need to come up with something new before Vertigo start getting impatient."

"Everything is gone?"

"Everything. My notebooks, my panels, my inks, my desk. There's nothing left."

"Oh, Sara," she held onto my hand, "We'll get you new ones."

I played with her fingers and nodded. Staring back down at my comic book, I felt Tegan get restless.

"Sara?" she whimpered.

"Yeah, Tegan?" I took off my glasses, face concerned.

"Can you hold me until I fall asleep?" she said, almost embarrassed.

I had never seen this side of Tegan before. Ever since we came home from the hospital she was a little quiet. Now the girl who fought fires for a living needed to be bathed and bedded like a kid. I wondered if anyone had seen this side of her before. The soft centre under the hard shell.

"Of course I will," I whispered softly into her ear.

She crawled out from between my legs and over to the other side of the bed. She lay down as I turned off the lights and edged in beside her. She turned her body towards me and nuzzled her face into my chest as I wrapped my arms around her. I placed a kiss on the top of her head and waited for her breathing to become gentle.

**Tegan**

I ran head first into the flames. My boots felt heavier than usual and it was a struggle to put one foot in front of the other. I put a hand to my face and found that I wasn't wearing my face shield. I coughed and spluttered as I felt smoke in my lungs. I squinted through the blaze and dust and tried to move forward.

"Tegan!" I heard a scream.

It was Sara. I could see her silhouetted by the flames and I tried to run with all the energy I had left. I thought I was getting closer but she still seemed far away.

"Tegan!" she screamed again, "Tegan, please help me!"

"I'm coming, Sara!" I screamed back.

No matter how far I ran, I still couldn't reach her. I was getting too tired and I felt my body shake.

"Don't leave me!" she cried.

"Sara!" I sobbed as my knees buckled and my face met the floor.

**Sara **

I woke suddenly as I felt Tegan shake in my arms. She was still asleep but I felt her tears soaking into my t shirt.

"Tegan," I whispered into her ear.

She squeezed her eyes shut and continued to shake. I wrapped my arms a little more tightly around her.

"Tegan, I'm here," I raised my voice a little louder.

She woke with a start. She stared right into my eyes as she took a minute to register that she was back to reality. She choked out a sob and rubbed at her eyes. I sat up and pulled her into my lap, rocking her gently as she shook and cried some more.

"It was just a dream, Tegan," I soothed, "I've got you."

She sniffed loudly and I leant down to kiss her. Her kiss was hard and intense as she snaked her arms under my t shirt and placed her hands on the small of my back.

"I couldn't reach you," she whispered, "You needed my help and I couldn't save you."

"It's okay, I'm safe now," I whispered back.

We sat like that until she fell asleep again. I watched Tegan's chest rise and fall with each shaky breath. I couldn't sleep until I made sure she was at rest.


	5. Honour

**Mayday**

**Chapter Five: Honour **

**A/N: You guys! So many good things have been happening that I'm dying to share! First of all, I made a new tumblr for fic/Tegan and Sara related things. My username is shirttuckedout. Secondly, the beautiful babies over on tumblr helped me out big time and some beautiful fan art for Mayday has been made! You can go over to my tumblr to see a wonderful drawing of Tegan in her gear. Last but not least, to accompany the release of this chapter I have compiled a small playlist of songs that have inspired the writing of Mayday so far. Hope you like it. Thanks for everything, you guys. Seriously. **

**Tegan **

"You understand why I've called you in today, Lieutenant Quin?"

I had been given a week off for rest and recuperation after being discharged from the hospital. Most of my week was spent with Sara. We had been pretty much inseparable since the accident and she had practically moved in with Emy and I. Sara was even there with me then when Chief Burgan called me into his office. I took glances behind me through the glass window of the office to see her sitting on a plastic chair in the hall, hiding in her jacket. I think she was more nervous than me.

"I believe so, Sir," I stood to attention in front of the Chief's desk. His office was small but formal. The dark wood desk took up much of the room that was also littered with various photographs, helmets, presentation axes, and other mementos from the many years the firehouse had been standing. There were even pictures of my father scattered around.

"It has come to my attention that you have been having a personal relationship with a civilian you saved on the job," he stared at me, "Sara Clement, is that correct?"

"That is correct, Sir," I couldn't look him in the eye when he spoke her name so I stared at the wall just above his head.

"And you are aware of company protocol in relation to these types of relationships, Lieutenant?"

"I am aware, Sir."

I watched as the Chief sighed and dropped into his chair. He folded his arms and let them rest on the desk, looking up at me, "You've got two minutes to tell me why I shouldn't let you go, Quin."

He completely threw me with the proposition and I couldn't quite get out exactly what I wanted to say. I expected my notice to be handed to me with immediate effect. I also expected to have words about Emy's conduct but so far she might as well have not even existed.

"Well," I started, "I don't see why you shouldn't fire me. I'm not denying that I've gone against policy."

My confused look transferred to his face as his eyebrows raised in surprise. I clearly didn't give him the answer he expected. I mentally cursed myself for being such a model employee. Anyone else would be fighting their losing battle but I was practically kissing the rule book. The Chief sat upright suddenly and straightened his chair. "Bring Miss Clement in here, Lieutenant," he commanded.

Panic rose within me as I headed for the door. I didn't mind the idea of being let go because I deserved it. I could take any criticism or punishment thrown at me. The one thing I couldn't handle, however, was Sara being blamed for something she couldn't help. There was no superior behind a desk telling her she broke the rules. She didn't deserve to feel pain from my actions.

I opened the door and popped my head around the frame. Sara looked up at me, her head still half buried in her jacket. She smiled sheepishly as I emerged but I could catch the surprise in her eyes. "Don't panic, okay?" I whispered, "The Chief wants a word."

Her eyes widened and her smile disappeared. I motioned for her to come in and she nervously emerged from her jacket and stood up. We walked in and stood in front of the desk. Chief Burgan's surprised look was replaced with a warm, sincere smile which worried me. I didn't want him to patronise or belittle Sara. I wrapped a protective arm around her waist and pulled her a little closer, making her blush. As well as a romantic gesture, I made sure it was a clear warning to the Chief. While I was there, no harm would come to her. Mess with her then you mess with me.

"Lovely to meet you, Miss Clement," he extended his hand.

"Please," Sara shook it, "Call me Sara."

"Well, Sara, I understand you are now in a relationship with our Lieutenant?" he asked.

"Yes," she smiled shyly and I gave her side a reassuring squeeze.

"And she has made you aware of the policy we have here at Vancouver Fire and Rescue?"

"Yes, she has."

There was a long pause as we all stared. Chief Burgan looked to Sara then back at me. He finally rose from his chair and walked around to lean against the front of the desk. I let my hand drop from Sara's waist and reached for her hand. I heard her sigh quietly as my fingers traced little patterns onto her palm, trying to steady the nerves that I could feel radiating from her.

"Sara?" the Chief turned to her, "Would you like to go to the mess hall? Emy is making pudding tonight."

Sara got the hint and squeezed my hand before letting it go and leaving the office. Her sudden exit made me panic again. What was he going to say to me that he couldn't say in front of Sara?

"The fact is, Tegan," the formal tone in the Chief's voice was gone, "I can't afford to lose you. We are already the smallest firehouse in Vancouver with two rookies on our team. There needs to be a permanent Lieutenant here and frankly, you are the best we have."

I felt like an anvil had been dropped on my head. My knees felt a little weak as the words travelled into my brain. I had mentally prepared myself for the worst day of my life and now I didn't have to be scared. The storm had passed and there was calm on the ocean once more.

"Are you saying I can stay, Sir?" I asked nervously.

"Yes," he sighed, "But we will have to notify the board of directors downtown."

"And about Dr Storey, Sir?" I couldn't forget Emy, "She won't be suspended?"

He nodded, "Dr Storey's position is safe."

I couldn't help but smile. I reached out my hand and Chief Burgan accepted my handshake. "You will not regret this, Chief," I almost couldn't contain the chuckle tickling my throat. Disbelief was written all over my face.

"Serve and protect, Lieutenant Quin," the Chief saluted.

I stood to attention and saluted back, "For God and country."

He nodded me to ease and I smiled before turning to leave. Sara hadn't sat back in the chair so I made my way down the hall towards the double doors leading to the community wing. I walked in and looked down to the far end of the room to see Sara sitting on the counter top with a bowl of pudding in hand. Emy was leaning against the counter beside her, stirring a jug of what looked like custard. They were laughing together. I couldn't remember the last time I saw them actually getting along without Emy ruining it with her hostility. Emy stopped laughing when she spotted me across the room, which made Sara turn to look. They waited with bated breath to see what I had to say.

I flung my tattooed arms up in the air and shouted, "You're looking at a free woman!"

Sara put her bowl down as her jaw hung open, "You mean you're not getting fired?"

"I'm all yours, baby!" I gave her a goofy grin.

Sara launched herself off of the counter and ran right down the centre of the room, past the couches and the table that stretched down the left side. I held out my arms, awaiting her embrace, but as she grew close she jumped right up into them. Her arms wrapped around my neck as I caught her, my hands on the backs of her thighs as she locked her ankles around the back of my waist. I was pretty sure I could bench more than she weighed so I held her up with ease. She placed her hands on either side of my face as she leant down to kiss me.

"That was the fucking cheesiest thing I've ever seen," Emy called over.

"Shut the fuck up," I laughed before reaching up for more of Sara's kisses.

**Sara**

Once we had told all the boys that Tegan would be staying on as their Lieutenant they couldn't get us all down to The Molly fast enough. They sat Tegan on her bar stool before hoisting it up over their shoulders and bouncing her. I watched as she laughed hysterically while trying her hardest to hold on to the seat. Ted order a round on his tab and we all squeezed into two booths at the back. I was squished in between Tegan and Johnny while Damon, Shaun, and Ted sat opposite. Tegan had her arm thrown over my shoulder casually as we sat and made our way through three pitchers of beer between the six of us.

Tegan was always at her most beautiful when she was doing the things she loved. Whether that was fighting fires or just hanging out with friends, the smile that emerged from her was one that just radiated love and grace. I would stare as she brightened up a room with her presence and wonder how I got so lucky.

Most people would say that the day their house burnt down was the worst day of their lives. I could say without a doubt that that day for me was the best day of my whole life. I was thankful because it brought me her. This amazing girl that had shown me a world of danger, fear, and tragedy, but what I saw behind it all was another world full of love, acceptance, and honour. She gave me a second home, a second family.

No matter what the outcome had been that day in the Chief's office I had made up my mind. I was absolutely, unconditionally in love with her.

**Tegan **

We were all having so much fun at The Molly that no one noticed the time. I was in the middle of battling Sara in an air hockey tournament when Johnny interrupted. "Aren't we on early shift, Tegan?" he slurred before knocking back what was left in his glass. "Shit," I said, reaching for my Squad jacket. Sara took the opportunity to fire the plastic puck into my goal and she jumped around at her victory. Her shyness melted away after a few beers and the personality that emerged was endearing.

"Come on, Sar," I called to her as I held out my hand, "Bedtime."

That earned a few wolf whistles and I immediately regretted it.

"You're all sick fucks, you know that?" Sara lightly punched Damon on the shoulder as she chuckled wildly.

I watched her as she got hugs from all of the guys before we left. It made me so happy to see my friends, my family, becoming hers.

"You coming, Emy?" I called over to her but she shook her head.

"I'm not working early so I'll stay," she called back, "See you later!"

Sara pulled on my hand and I waved at them all before heading out of the door. We walked back to my apartment, giggling and laughing as the alcohol coursed through our veins. I felt on top of the world. We got in and headed into the living room, Sara dropping onto the couch as I started to strip down to my sports bra and boxers. I lay down on the cool wooden floor and stared at the ceiling above.

"You know what I was thinking?" Sara turned to look at me, smiling.

"What were you thinking?" I grinned.

Sara suddenly got really nervous. She sat up and played with her hands, not quite looking me in the eye.

"Sara..." I giggled, "What is it?"

"Well you know how I was saying that I need a new idea for a comic book?"

"Yeah..." I wasn't sure where exactly this was going.

"Well I sorta had this idea," she mumbled, "And please don't laugh! I don't think I could handle it if you laughed."

I sat up and reached for her hands. I took them in mine and looked her straight in the eye, "I promise I won't laugh."

Sara smiled and I saw her confidence grow a little, "I want to turn you into an action hero."

I didn't expect that, but I honestly didn't know what to expect in the first place.

"Me?" I asked.

"Yes, you," she chuckled, "I want to make a comic book about you as a firefighter."

"Are you serious?"

"Totally serious. I want you to fight fires and save lives. I'd write the boys into it and Emy and the firehouse and everything else. It's just, you got to be my hero and I want to share that with everyone."

I watched Sara's eyes light up as she ran off all of her ideas. It was sort of amazing to watch her as she got excited over all the potential in her project. I hadn't quite seen this side of her yet. She had been to work with me and watched me in action but I had never seen her doing what she loved. I had yet to see a single piece of her work.

I paused and she stared at me, willing for me to say something. I think the thought of me not liking her ideas terrified her. I could see it in her eyes. They pleaded with me to not reject her.

"I like it," I finally grinned, "I really like it."

"You do?!" She was surprised.

"Absolutely!" I tried so hard to let her see I was behind her, "I'm serious, Sar."

She smiled at me before reaching down to hug me close. As soon as her arms were around my neck I gripped onto her sides and pulled her on top of me as I lay back down on the floor. She gave me a little eskimo kiss and I giggled.

"I love you, Sara," the words were out of my mouth before I could stop myself. I saw her freeze above me and my stomach flipped. I bit my lip and waited. It would be okay if she didn't say it back. I knew it would break my heart but I also knew that she wasn't as impulsive and clingy as me. If she needed time then I would wait.

Sara paused before she finally whispered, "I love you too, Tegan."


	6. Between Two Points

**Mayday**

**Chapter Six: Between Two Points**

**A/N: So here's some sexy times before I drop a bomb that I've been assembling in my mind for about a week. Who that bomb will fall on has yet to be decided so enjoy it while it lasts. Also, I'd recommend listening to Between Two Points by The Glitch Mob for some atmospheric music. **

**Sara**

"On my count," Tegan reminded me, "One... two... three."

We were standing precariously on the stairs in Tegan's apartment building, trying to lift the heaviest vintage desk in existence up through the narrow stairwell. Tegan had found it for me in an old thrift store downtown. "This would be a perfect illustration desk!" she had exclaimed while sifting her way through the piles of junk resting on top of it. Despite the horrendous weight of it, it really was beautiful.

"Remind me again why we didn't just go to Ikea to buy something flat-packed?" I wheezed as I tried with all my might to keep my end of the desk off of the ground.

"Because this is special and I want everything you have to be special," she beamed up at me.

"Yeah, special is definitely what I got with you," I smirked.

Tegan pretended to laugh before sticking her tongue out at me. I continued to walk backwards carefully as I manoeuvred the desk around a sharp corner and began to ascend yet more stairs. I looked down at Tegan and suddenly became jealous at the superior strength she possessed. She made this whole thing look easy and still managed to remain as sexy as ever. I puffed and panted my way to the apartment with a light sweat tickling the skin on my back and neck. We finally reached the top floor landing and I dropped my end of the desk on the floor with a bang. Panic hit me as I felt my chest tighten and each breath I took became a little more shallow.

"Jesus, Sara!" Tegan gently placed the legs of the desk down to meet the floor before going to inspect my end for damage, "I spent $100 on this!"

"Te-Teg-an," I could barely get the words out of my mouth, "Pu-"

She whipped her head around and I saw the shock in her eyes. She ran over to me and I tried to wave her away but I couldn't focus on anything else but getting as many small wisps of air into my lungs as possible. I backed myself up against the wall to steady myself as I battled an all too familiar lightheaded feeling. A panic attack combined with an asthma attack was just my luck. My vision became spotty and I knew the blackout was imminent. "Stay with me, Sar," Tegan sounded distant, "I'll get your puffer."

I sat and waited for consciousness to leave. Tegan would probably come back and have to call me an ambulance. But I was still thinking. I couldn't work out why I hadn't left reality yet. Time felt so slow. After what seemed like forever, I felt plastic being pushed between my lips. Spurts of medicated aerosol travelled into my depths and suddenly everything was clear. I reached out and grasped at air until I found Tegan. She scooped me up into her arms and I felt slightly queasy as she carried me to her bed; one arm under my knees and another supporting my neck. Sight was coming back to me as I felt my face meet familiar sheets.

"Sara..." Tegan's breath was right at my ear. I felt her unmistakable touch on my stomach as her hand dipped under the hem of my shirt as she lay behind me. Her face nuzzled into my neck as I reached down and pulled her hand up to my face. I kissed her fingers as she ran a gentle hand through my hair.

"I love you, Tegan," I breathed, "Thank you."

"I love you too," she giggled, "That was a bad one. I promise we're taking you to Ikea next time."

I tried to laugh but it amounted to nothing but a loud exhale. Tegan shimmied away from me and rose to her feet. I let out a small whimper as her warmth disappeared. She bent down to kiss my forehead before leaving me alone in her bedroom. I listened and I could just make out scrapping against floors and panting. I turned to face the door to see Tegan standing with the desk out in the hall. She took a deep breath before picking it up and shuffling it into the bedroom, her muscular arms flexing under its weight. It was placed down near the window, just between her guitar in the corner and the large black bookshelf that held her vinyl collection that took up most of the right wall.

"Good spot?" she smiled back at me.

"Excellent spot," I said softly before swinging my legs off of the bed.

I got up and shakily walked over to where Tegan stood, panting and rubbing at her biceps. I encircled my arms around her waist from behind and let my chin rest on her firm shoulder. I nibbled at her ear gently before placing a long kiss on her neck. She reached to link her fingers with mine.

"You need to stop being so perfect all the time, Lieutenant," I purred into her ear and I felt her body shake as she giggled.

"And you need to stop dying all the time, Miss Clement," she smirked.

I sighed happily as I tickled her ribs, "Hey, tomorrow I can start panelling this thing!"

"Hell yes, you can!" Her shared enthusiasm gave me butterflies, "I can't wait to just watch you work."

"It's not that exciting. I just drink lots of coffee, waste lots of paper, get covered in ink, and mostly just sit in silence."

"But I bet you still look beautiful doing it."

Tegan turned in my arms before leaning in for a long, lingering kiss. I could still taste the sweetness from the iced tea she had earlier on her lips and it made me savour each touch. I let her go before moving backwards to the bed and flopping onto it. She fell back right beside me and reached for my hand again.

"You know what I was thinking?" Tegan asked quietly.

I propped myself up on one elbow and looked down at her staring at the ceiling, "What were you thinking?"

"Why don't I ask the Chief if you can come down to the firehouse when we're at work. For, like, research purposes and stuff. For the comic book."

I pondered her suggestion but I couldn't help feeling apprehensive. When I met Chief Burgan he seemed nice enough. A gentleman, in fact. However, I did seem to think that maybe I wasn't all that welcome in his firehouse no matter how comfortable I felt there. I didn't want to agitate him any more than what has already been done, for both mine and Tegan's sake.

"I dunno, Tee," I frowned, "Chief Burgan doesn't need me hanging around all the time to distract his team."

"Come on, Sara," she whined playfully, "You know that when it comes down to it, everyone in that firehouse is a professional. Serve and protect, remember? Words to live by."

I sighed, "Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask..."

**Tegan **

I couldn't believe the Chief was actually letting Sara come to work with us. I had already been pushing my luck recently and requesting for my technically forbidden girlfriend to spend her days at the firehouse was potentially the last straw.

Despite the potential complications, they actually welcomed her with open arms. Sara was allowed access to anywhere in the firehouse. She was given her own locker, her own place at the dinner table, her own helmet, and even her own seat in our Squad truck. When there was a call out, she would just shove on her helmet and jump in the back with Ted and Jason. At strategy meetings or incident review cases, Sara would sit at the back and either write notes or draw in the notebook she always carried. In two weeks she managed to fill four notebooks full of sketches and ideas. Sometimes I found it a little hard to concentrate when I caught glimpses of her in her cute little glasses with her face practically pressed into the pages of her work, scratching away at them with her pen. The boys looked after her when I had to rest between shifts. It was cute the way they would make her cups of coffee, bring her snacks, give up their spots on the couches for her. They even let her have control of the television whenever she asked. I had never seen my surrogate brothers being such gentlemen.

On the Saturday night late shift we gathered in the community wing to watch Hockey Night In Canada for the Canucks' game against the Blackhawks. I knew hockey wasn't exactly Sara's thing but she was a trooper. She helped hand out snacks and beers while the boys essentially flailed over the pre-game analysis. There was barely enough space for us all to squish in front of the television set. I let Sara sit in my usual spot while I sat between her legs on the floor. She played with little strands of my hair as we sat and watched and I couldn't help but smile to myself as I sipped my beer.

At the end of the second period the Canucks were down three to one. Popcorn had already been thrown at the screen in rage and most of the boys decided that they would rather sleep than watch the last period. The sounds of snoring and deep breaths competed with the buzzing of the television as they all slept on the couches they occupied. More room on the couch had been made and I sat with Sara in my lap, her body turned sideways with her head tucked just under my chin. She was scribbling in her notebook, drawing little sketches of burly figures in hockey masks and skates.

"You know I'm super proud of you, right?" I spoke into her hair.

"Awww, Tee," she reached up for a kiss, "Why?"

"I've been watching you for the last two weeks while you've been working away and you're just amazing at what you do, Sara," I whispered, "You're just so talented."

Sara turned her head back to me and I watched her eyes focus on my lips intently before she pressed hers to my own. The moment that contact was made I could feel the difference in her kiss. This kiss was just as sweet but the hunger was so prominent. My hand cupped the side of her face as I gently grazed my tongue over her bottom lip and she let it meet the warmth of her mouth. She bit down on my bottom lip, trying to catch my labret piercing with her teeth. I couldn't help the moan that escaped me and I felt her lightly chuckle against my lips which made my core melt a little bit more. It pained me to pull away.

"Come on," I patted the side of her leg and urged her to get up from my lap. Once on her feet, she pulled me from the couch before I took her hand and lead her towards the double doors. I let them close behind me gently so I didn't wake the boys and we crept along the hall. I took a peak into the Chief's office window but he was nowhere in sight. We finally reached one of the smaller dorm room doors and I pushed her inside before quickly scanning the hall to see if we were being watched.

I locked the door quietly and shut the blinds on the window before I felt Sara's hands find me in the dark of the room. Her fingers grazed over my abs under my shirt and I shivered slightly. Her hands worked their way around my sides until she was caressing my lower back and I felt the heat rise between my thighs.

"Tegan, where exactly are we?" Sara purred into my ear as she nibbled it gently.

"The individual dorm room," I whispered, "Move back about four steps and you'll meet the bed."

And with that Sara tugged on my shirt and pulled me down into the darkness. She landed on the mattress with a small bounce and I managed to stick my arms out enough so that I didn't slam into her tiny frame as my body met the bed. I found her lips in the blackness as she held onto my hips, her fingers pulling a little on the suspenders hanging off of me. I guided Sara's body further up while placing a leg between both of hers. Her hips immediately rose and I felt her grind against my thigh as I placed long, hot kisses on her neck. I kissed down from her collar bones as far as her shirt collar would let me and she let out a moan when my lips met her chest.

"Shhh," I whispered up to her, "They can't hear us."

Sara nodded as she let out deep breaths, my thigh still rubbing against each sensitive spot. Her hands crept up to grasp onto the hem of my Squad t shirt, pulling it up and over my head. I started to undo the buttons of her shirt with my teeth, making sure my lips grazed each section of newly exposed skin before moving to the next one. As soon as her shirt was open I helped her pull it off before reaching around to unclasp her bra. The minute my tongue met her nipple her back arched, pushing her hips so far into my thigh that I couldn't believe I wasn't hurting her.

Her short nails dragged down my back as I circled and flicked each of her nipples with my tongue. Sara bit her lip to stop each groan escaping out of her and the squirming of her body beneath mine only spurred me on. I felt the elastic on my sports bra being lifted off of my skin as she pulled it up and off, throwing it over to the other side of the room. I trailed lingering kisses down between her breasts and over her flat stomach before tracing my tongue over the skin just above her jeans.

"Please, Tegan," she breathed, "Please."

She begged and I could feel my walls contracting in a little spasm at her words. I brought my face back up to hers for one last kiss as I undid the button of her jeans, pulling them slowly down her legs and off of the bed. Moving my hand slowly over her skin, I crept closer to the heat waiting for me under then thin material of her boxer briefs. My stomach did flips in anticipation and I felt myself getting wetter at the thought of her. My fingers dipped below the waistband and were instantly covered in her.

"Fuck, Sara..." I couldn't be quiet.

She let out a rather loud moan as my fingers made contact with her clit. Her face nuzzled into my neck to drown out her erratic breaths as I started circling over her sensitive spots. I got nervous at the thought of her hearing just how fast my heart was drumming against the walls of my chest as I explored new parts of her. My breath hitched in my throat as I felt her lips tickle my ear.

"I need you inside of me, Tee," Sara barely spoke.

I nodded as I worked my hands further down and placed my middle finger gently inside of her. Another gasp came from her and I felt her legs wrap around my waist as I entered. My body hung over her limply as I began to push in and out of her with care.

"No, no," she purred into my ear again, her smirk audible in her words, "Harder."

A low chuckle escaped from me as I began to thrust my finger deeper into her core, my thumb gently working her clit. Sara rode my hand, pushing herself further and further into my palm.

She sucked on my neck a little and commanded, "One more, Tee. One more."

I slipped my ring finger into her and felt her walls expand and then contract around me. A groan escaped from my lips as I felt my own clit spasm at the sensation. Sara rode me hard as her back arched further and further upwards. The heat that ripped through my core was becoming almost too much to handle as I felt Sara wriggle beneath me as she got closer to her edge. I was struggling without a release and she could tell. She gripped onto the sides of my fire pants and pulled them down for me. I felt her hand slip beneath the elastic on my boxers while I still maintained a steady thrust of my fingers, curling them inside of her. Nails dug into my skin as I felt her take one of my ass cheeks into her hand. My head bowed down as I continued to struggle.

"I know, baby, I know," Sara hummed close to my ear, "I've got you."

With that she brought her other hand down into my boxers as she found the heat that was waiting for her. She kissed me hard as she worked in circles and I turned into a quivering mess. My superior strength was no match for her touch. She drove straight into me with two fingers and I cried out her name, not caring if anyone heard me or not. As she curled her digits against my walls, it didn't take long for that familiar feeling to bubble at the pit of my stomach. We rode each other hard and fast until it became too much.

"I'm gonna..." Sara threw her head back.

"Look at me, Sar," I could barely speak through my clenched jaw, "Together."

Her eyes met mine and she nodded just as I felt myself crash over into the awaiting oblivion. My orgasm ripped through me and my body trembled. Sara lost it seconds after me. Screaming my name, she gushed out onto my palm as her walls contracted violently under my touch. I had to cut off her scream with forceful lips to keep our presence undetected. Both of our fingers kept going inside one another and as soon as I had came for the first time, I was coming again. The power and ecstasy that ran smooth in my veins took over and I couldn't stand it much longer. Sara shook under me as her second orgasm came. I almost couldn't contain a moan as her teeth sank into my firm shoulder, her need for some stability coming out in waves. I loved a girl who bites.

I collapsed on top of her and took long, deep breaths as I tried to regain my strength. Sara kissed my shoulder as her teeth marks emerged on my flesh and I buried my face into the pillow. Her arms wrapped around me as I shook and she held me close as my heart came back down to its normal rate.

"I fucking love you," I whispered to her before planting a soft kiss on her now swollen lips.

"And I love fucking you," she giggled softly.

I tickled her ribs, "Bad girl."

"Sorry if I bit you too hard," she kissed the mark on my shoulder again.

"That's alright, Sar," I stroked her hair, "We should probably get dressed and go back before they find out we've gone."


	7. Last Hope

**Mayday**

**Chapter Seven: Last Hope**

**A/N: KABLAM! The bomb has dropped, my friends. I'll just apologise in advance and crawl into my little hiding place. This could either be a really bad development or a really good development. I think it works. Please don't hate me. **

**Tegan **

The klaxon woke me from my gentle slumber. I yawned and moved myself out of bed, escaping the scratchy sheets. I had done this a thousand times in ten years. Being exhausted wasn't an option.

_"Calling Engine 44, Squad 8, and Ambulance 14. Car accident on downtown eastside junction between Wesmond Avenue and Hassold Street. One civilian trapped in driver's side of vehicle." _

The boys were already up and pulling on their shirts as the lights came on in the dorm. I looked over to my right to see Sara curled into a ball in her bed, grey blankets pulled up over her head. I leant over and shook her a little.

"You gotta get up, baby," I whispered to her, "Time to ride."

I couldn't wait another minute for her to move. I pulled on my socks and ran out of the dorm, down the hall, and out into the main bay. Suspenders up, boots on, jacket on, and helmet firmly on my head. I turned to run to the truck when I spotted Emy and Sara coming through the doors. Sara looked exhausted as she reached for her notebook and pen, walking over to get her helmet. I jumped into the Squad truck, Sara just following behind me. Once we were all in and belted up, we took off. Emy was right behind us in ambulance 14, sirens on.

"This is going to be a bad one," Ted said uneasily, "I really don't like this neighbourhood we're going to."

"Downtown eastside is a shithole and everyone knows it," Johnny remarked.

"Gangs, drugs, HIV, homeless shelters on every block," Ted nodded.

As soon as we turned the corner onto Hassold Street we saw the massive, black four wheel drive. From the tyre marks I could see littered across the tarmac, I would have guessed the driver swerved right off the straight road and into the desolate apartment block wall the vehicle was now smashed against. Johnny parked us up against the sidewalk opposite and we got out.

"Right boys, we need the spreader-cutters and the rams!" I shouted back to Jason and Ted as they opened the side doors of the truck.

"Yes, Lieutenant," they replied in unison.

I looked round to see Sara standing, scribbling away. She flashed me her goofy smile and my heart melted at her cuteness. I nodded to her and she nodded back. She understood the pressure I was under and the stress of every situation we were thrown into. She just let me get on with my job and I was so thankful for that.

Emy ran to me with the medical kit and I urged her off towards the vehicle. I stopped her just before we reached the car, making sure she wasn't moving before I crept closer. I looked into the driver's side window to see a young man slumped over the wheel. He had a nasty cut on the side of his face and his legs appeared to be crushed under the collapsing dashboard. He was breathing but unconscious. More urgent than his condition was the car itself. The airbags hadn't been deployed and that meant we were in the shit.

"Emy, don't come any closer until I tell you it's safe," I called behind me, "The patient is stable for now but the vehicle is a hazard. I can't let you work with him until I secure it."

I set the timer on my watch and began to work. If the bags hadn't deployed it meant we only had at least thirty minutes to get the civilian out before they would blow. I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out the neon pink stickers we used to mark the location of each airbag within the vehicle. I made my way around and stuck them on before shouting for Ted and Jason. They came running with the equipment we needed for the vehicle extrication and I told Ted to fire up the cutter. As they began to cut the glass of the back window, I moved back to Emy.

"We'll get you in through the back window so you can attend to the patient from the backseat, okay?" I had to shout over the sound of the hydraulic equipment , "Hope you don't mind crawling."

She nodded just as the boys managed to lift the glass away from the frame of the car. Emy sprang into action and the guys helped her climb into the back safely. I ran around to watch from the driver's side window. I looked on as Emy felt around the patient's neck with her fingers.

"Tegan, is he bleeding up there?" she asked me as she pulled out a neck brace from her pack.

I nodded and brought my eyes back to the gash that ran deep on the side of the young man's face. I reached up to touch his head before Emy stopped me.

"Don't touch him!" she warned me, "Most of the kids in this neighbourhood are HIV positive. You can't touch blood without protection. Put one finger on him and you risk contaminating yourself or Sara if you don't wash your hands properly. Here, put these on if you must."

She passed me a pair of latex gloves and I pulled them on before returning my hand to his face. Blood was still flowing from the open skin and I asked Emy for some sterile wipes and a dressing. I wiped it down and placed the dressing onto his skin. It would do until they could stitch him up later. Emy clambered into the front seat to get a better look at the legs that were trapped under the layers of metal.

"We'll need to cut him out," I sighed, "Fuck, I hope he's not paralysed."

Emy tilted the patient's face up, pulling back each of his eyelids and turning on her thin torch.

"He's doped up to his eyeballs," Emy shook her head.

"That's probably what made him crash. He'll have had an episode or whatever and lost control."

"He'll be a dealer or a pimp. It would explain how he managed to afford this beast in a neighbourhood like this."

The timer on my watch told me we only had fifteen minutes left. I turned and motioned for Ted, Johnny, and Jason to bring back the hydraulics. I showed them exactly where I wanted them to cut as Emy crawled back out of the car and ran to get the gurney with the backboard. As soon as the boys started up the cutter, the young man in the passenger seat snapped back to reality with a jolt. He screamed out and thrashed against the seat. The boys took a step back.

"Emy!" I cried and she came running. I reached in the window and grabbed onto the sides of his arms to stop him flailing.

"Sir, please calm down," I pleaded, "You'll hurt yourself or put us all in danger."

Emy ran up beside me and tried to help, "Sir, I'm Dr Storey and this is Lieutenant Quin. We're going to help get you out of the vehicle and to the hospital."

"I don't want no fuckin' hospital!" he protested.

"I'd sedate him but I couldn't risk mixing it with whatever else is in his system," Emy whispered into my ear.

"We're just going to carefully cut you free, alright?" I told him, but I couldn't care less if he wanted us to or not.

I nodded for them to keep cutting. I stood and supervised while Emy made sure the young man's legs were safe from the cutter. My eyes went from my watch to the car and back again. At last the passenger door had been broken off and I watched Ted carry it out of the way, patting his back as he walked past. Emy wheeled over the gurney and positioned the backboard on the ground. Johnny ran around and helped her unbuckle the patient and gently ease his legs away from the cut steel.

The sound of gunfire pierced the air. One shot, two shots, three shots, four. Emy went down first, Johnny following soon after. Those who could ran back as fast as possible, staying low. Bullets were still flying as Jason, Ted, and I sprinted towards engine 44 and skid behind it, taking cover. As I ran I saw Sara in panic.

"Sara!" I screamed, "Sara, get in the truck now!"

I watched as she clambered inside and quickly slammed the door shut. My gaze swept back over to the vehicle. Emy lay on her side. I couldn't see her moving. Johnny was trying to drag himself over to the wall but was struggling to pull himself along. I could feel the tears starting to form in my eyes. I took a deep breath and reached for my radio.

"Dispatch, this is Lieutenant Tegan Quin of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Sixth Company. Gunshots being fired on the downtown eastside junction between Hassold Street and Wesmond Avenue. We have a firefighter and medic down. I repeat, a brother and sister down. Requesting backup. Do you copy?"

I took my finger away from the button and glanced around the side of the truck again. Johnny had made it to the wall and he was slumped down on the ground, blood pouring out of him. Emy was still out cold. My radio crackled to life as the tears building in my eyes finally escaped.

_"Copy that, Lieutenant Quin. Backup is on its way."_

**Sara**

I watched through the glass as Tegan, Jason, and Ted cowered behind engine 44. My eyes shot to Tegan and then back to Emy who was still lying motionless on the ground, her arms twisted in the most horrifying position. I felt bile rise in my throat and I thought I was going to vomit. Shots were still being fired to the ground and I tried to find where they were coming from. My eyes scanned the windows and rooftops above us but I just couldn't tell.

I was so busy trying to find the shooter that I didn't even notice as Tegan leapt out from behind the engine. She scurried low across the tarmac. I heard more bullets raining down fast and hard, some tickling her feet and she charged across to where Emy and Johnny were lying.

"Tegan!" I started screaming her name and banging my fists against the glass of the window, "Don't do this to me! Please!"

She couldn't hear me and kept on moving. I quickly rolled down the window and brought up bile as I hung out of the side of the truck. As soon as I was done I whipped my head back inside and closed the window again. I couldn't bear the thought of her dying. I almost lost her once and I knew my heart couldn't take the same pain again.

Tegan knelt down next to Emy, turning her onto her back. She took off her helmet and wiped tears away from her eyes. I swear I felt my heart break in that moment. Tegan began administering CPR, taking off her jacket and placing it over Emy's tiny body. I couldn't stop a tortured sob escaping from me when blood appeared at Emy's mouth, dribbling down her chin and onto the ground. I watched as Tegan's movements became more frantic. She screamed Emy's name over and over as she applied the chest compressions, each word coming out as a wail. Johnny reached out for her but she couldn't stop.

Police cars and two more ambulances came flying around the junction and screeched to halt beside the smashed four by four. Police officers jumped out and ran into the apartment buildings that surrounded us, looking for the shooter that had caused all this. They blocked my view of Tegan and it made my panic levels start to rise. I threw open the door of the truck and jumped down onto the tarmac, taking off towards her. Before I could get any further I felt arms wrap around me, holding me in place. It was Ted.

"No, Sara," he spoke softly in my ear, "Let them help her."

I wanted to protest. I wanted to kick and scream until he let me go but I just couldn't get it out of me. Instead, I turned and buried my face into his chest. I felt him squeeze me a little tighter and rest his chin on the top of my head. I couldn't tell how long we stood like that for.

After what felt like forever, Ted let me go and turned me around, guiding me into another set of waiting arms. As soon as my body met them I knew it was Tegan. I nuzzled my face into her neck and breathed in her familiar smell in hope it would calm my erratic heartbeat. I tried to lift my head but she put a hand on the back of my neck and guided it back down gently.

"Please don't look, Sar," she sniffed, "I don't want you to see her."

The thought of Emy made me start crying again, my tears staining the shoulder of Tegan's t shirt. She rubbed my back and started to guide me away from it all. We walked around to the side of the Squad truck and she opened the door for me to climb into the back. She sat down beside me and took my hand, trying so hard to fight her own tears.

"She's..." Tegan's voice cracked as she spoke, "She's gone, Sara. I couldn't save her."

I watched Tegan as she came completely undone before me. It wasn't fair. Her mother walked out on her before she could even remember and her father died trying to prove himself to be a noble man. Now the best friend that she relied on most was taken from her in a single second before her very eyes. Nothing could heal wounds like that.

I squeezed her hand tightly as I choked back my own emotions. I had only known Emy for coming up four months but she meant so much to me already. She saved my life the day my apartment caught fire and at the hospital she told me about Tegan when I asked stupid questions. Even though she showed hostility towards me for the first couple of months, I still enjoyed her company and humour. Her smile was dazzling and her laugh infectious. When we finally got through the rough patch after Tegan kept her job, we were starting to become really good friends. She worked hard at what she did and showed so much passion, dedication, and strength. Now that had been torn away from us all. Her light had gone out when we needed it most.

"Johnny?" my lip quivered as I spoke.

"He'll be alright," she let out a deep breath, "He's not going to die. They told me."

The smallest of reliefs washed over me. I couldn't lose Johnny too.

"What are we gonna do without her, Tee?" I wept.

Tegan pulled me over into her arms and I let everything pour out.

"I don't know, Sara," she sobbed, "I really don't know."


	8. Farewell

**Mayday**

**Chapter Eight: Farewell **

**A/N: Thank you guys so much for all those hilarious reviews after the last chapter. I know I ripped a few hearts out. I'm sorry. I'm also sorry because I think I'll just reopen all the old wounds again with this chapter. My bad. **

**Sara**

"I can't do it, Sara," Tegan whispered, "I'm so scared."

We stood on the threshold of Emy and Tegan's shared apartment. We had to go inside no matter how much it hurt. The firehouse had been our home for the past week since Emy passed. Tegan couldn't face looking at Emy's things. The memories were too real and the wounds too deep.

"We need to get your uniform for the funeral," I rubbed her hand reassuringly, "And some of her things."

She whimpered and sniffed. I thought she had been doing really well these past couple of days but this brought it all back.

"Do you want me to go in for you?" I asked and she nodded.

I let go of her hand before opening the door gently. The place was eerily quiet. I walked down the hall and into Tegan's bedroom. The closet doors were already open and I reached into the back and brought out her perfectly pressed Lieutenant's uniform. It was much like her father's captain's uniform, just with less braiding. I made sure the tie and hat were there before leaving the room, heading towards Emy's bedroom. I had never been in there before and in a way I felt like I was intruding. My hand stopped on the door handle and I took a deep breath.

As soon as I walked in the sweet smell of her perfume hit me. The room was exactly how she left it; bed unmade, sheets of poster paper and paint littered across the floor, mugs half full of cold coffee dotted around the room, her unfinished novel on the nightstand. It wasn't messy. It was lived in. It was loved. I walked into her closet, the smell of her perfume becoming stronger. I took a moment to sit on the floor and close my eyes. I breathed it all in and thought of her. Her smile, her sweet little nose, her pancakes that she made in the morning. For a second, just a second, it felt like she was there with me. I got up again and reached over to one of the higher shelves, blindly feeling my way around. My hand finally met the fabric on the brim of Emy's hat that belonged to her own formal dress.

I met Tegan back at the door, her face blotchy from crying. I handed her the dry cleaning bag containing her uniform and kept Emy's hat in my hand. I reached up and stroked her cheek with the backs of my fingers as another tear escaped from her tired eyes.

"Come on," I grabbed her hand, "We'll be late if we don't hurry."

She sighed before reaching behind me and grabbing a golf umbrella from the stand in the hall. We made our way downstairs and out of the apartment block. The rain bounced down on the sidewalk under a dark sky that reflected the entire mood of the day. Tegan popped the umbrella open and wrapped a protective arm around my waist before guiding us off down the street.

**Tegan**

Once we were back at the firehouse, Sara and I headed straight for the showers. Standing under the hot water made me feel a little better about my upcoming eulogy at the funeral. Sara helped me write exactly what I was feeling and listened as I practiced. She had been helping me so much over the last week and I couldn't thank her enough. She was missing Emy too, it wasn't hard to see, yet she put me first before her own emotions every time. She made sure I was eating, she would hold me when I cried, she tried her best to make me smile at least once every day. Just to have her there was a blessing in itself.

I hadn't put on my formal lieutenant's uniform since my appointment ceremony. I was frightened that I might have outgrown it a little but it slipped on perfectly. Sara wore a white button up with a black blazer in hopes it would complement my ceremonial attire. She always made simple look sexy. She smiled at me when I emerged in my shirt and tie, blazer on and buttoned. My lieutenant's braiding sat neatly on my shoulders and my name pin sat square on the left breast of my blazer. She walked towards me and pulled my tie up a little before straightening my collar again. She reached for my hat and placed it on top of my head, brushing the curls in my bangs away from my eyes.

"There's my handsome lieutenant," she smiled at me before placing a gentle kiss on my lips.

"I love you," I whispered and she kissed me again.

I took her hand and guided her out of the locker room, my nerves returning in waves.

**Sara**

Tegan had to leave with the boys and Chief Burgan so they could stand near Vancouver Cathedral for the arrival of the casket. I made my way there in Tegan's car, hurrying so I could take my place near the front of the procession. As I drove closer to the cathedral, the traffic got worse and more people started to appear on the sidewalk. They expected a huge turnout for the funeral of a medic killed in action and it seemed like half of Vancouver was coming down to say their last goodbyes to Emy.

Vancouver Cathedral stood mighty in the rainstorm that seemed to be never ending. When we met with Emy's parents earlier in the week they expressed their distaste at the overly religious choice of venue for their daughter's service but we were told it was the only place in the city they could fit the expected crowds into. I thought Emy would approve. It had history and artistic relevance; more her style.

I shuffled my way through the swarms of soaking people gathered outside the building, trying not to whack them with the giant umbrella I carried. I held Emy's hat carefully in my other hand. The police had set up barriers to hold the crowd back and leave enough room for the procession to make its way through to the entrance. Up ahead I could see engine 44's gleaming red paintwork standing out beside the cathedral steps. Ambulance 14 was parked just beside it and the sight of it brought a lump to my throat. I finally reached the end of the crowd and came to the barrier that stopped anyone getting any closer to the cathedral. I found a police officer standing just at the end and I approached him with a small smile.

"I'm Sara Clement," I told him, "I'm here with Sixth Company of Vancouver Fire and Rescue. I was told I could stand opposite those in the emergency services."

The officer smiled and looked down to his list, pages drenched with rainwater. I watched as his eyes scrolled down the page before he gazed back at me. He finally tucked the list under his arm and moved a section of the metal barrier away so I could squeeze through.

"Right this way, Miss Clement," he pointed and I followed him.

He lead me over to a small group of people standing opposite engine 44, everyone huddled under umbrellas. I recognised some of them as Emy's colleagues from the hospital and I shook hands with the few that approached me. I stood at the front amongst the quiet chatter as we waited for the procession to start arriving.

The distant sound of bagpipes and snare drums told us that the time had finally arrived. The Vancouver Fire and Rescue pipe band marched down the straight road, playing a tune I didn't recognize. I watched the rainwater splash off of the drums as they were hit in perfect rhythm in time to the music. It was strangely beautiful to see. As they reached the end of the crowd they turned a small corner and positioned themselves just a short distance away from where I stood with the small crowd. Their song ended and they stood to attention as they received applause from the gathered crowds.

Sixth Company were met with thundering applause as they travelled down the street, marching in rows of three. I saw Tegan standing at the front of the group with Chief Burgan to her left and Ted on her right as he carried the Canadian flag in a harness strapped to his hip. They came to the end of the crowd and stood to attention in front of engine 44. Tegan was right in front of where I was standing across the street and it gave me great comfort to see her again.

Finally the first black car came down the street with Emy's family inside. It parked quickly outside of the church and her family got out and made their way inside the huge cathedral doors. I watched her father stop to look at the hundreds of people who had gathered in memory of his daughter and a few tears escaped me. The car then drove off to make way for the next part of the procession.

As soon as the hearse appeared the sound of applause washed over us all like a tsunami sized wave. Thousands upon thousands of flowers were thrown across the barrier, some landing on the hearse itself and some falling to the ground. As the car passed in front of Sixth Company, Chief Burgan called them all to attention and they saluted in Emy's honour. I couldn't help the sob that escaped me as I watched Tegan. Her gloved white hand didn't even waver across the brim of her hat that dripped as the rain poured down on us all. Her jaw was set and her eyes stared right at me as she joined her brothers in saying goodbye to the girl they treated like their own.

Parts of the crowd were now beginning to move inside the church and the same police officer came over to direct our small group of mourners away. We walked past the hearse and up the stone steps into the cathedral. The officer directed the group to pews in the middle of the hollow building and as I slid in beside some of the others I felt him tap my shoulder.

"Not you, Miss Clement," he smiled, "You will be seated at the front with Lieutenant Quin."

The thought of being able to be near Tegan made my nerves settle a little. I followed the officer down the longest aisle I had ever seen and sat by myself in the first row pew on the left. Emy's family sat on the right side and I saw her father give me a small smile from across the aisle. I looked back to watch as the cathedral filled with hundreds of people, most of whom I didn't recognise.

The pipe band began again outside and that acted as our cue to stand. The casket, draped with another Canadian flag, made its way down the aisle carried by Sixth Company. Tegan was right at the front, holding it against her right shoulder with one arm wrapped around Chief Burgan's shoulder as he stood on the other side. They placed it down on the altar and gave one final salute before turning to the pew I was sitting in.

Tegan came down the steps from the altar and stopped in front of me. I held up Emy's hat that I still had in my hands but she wouldn't take it. She waved her hand at me before I finally understood what she wanted. I held out my other hand and she took it in hers before helping me up from the pew. She placed her arm around my waist as we stood up in front of the entire cathedral and began walking over towards the casket. Once there, I handed Tegan Emy's formal hat and she placed it on top of the flag covered coffin. We turned back and I finally saw just how many people had come to pay their respects. Every pew was bursting at the seams and people stood around the surrounding walls as far as I could see. Emy's father nodded his thanks to us as we descended the steps and returned to the pew.

The service went without a hitch. Music was played, the mayor of Vancouver made a brief speech, the pastor spoke, and Emy's mother read a poem. Finally, it was time for Tegan's eulogy.

"I would now like to welcome Lieutenant Tegan Quin of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Sixth Company to share with us some words about her dear friend and colleague," the pastor announced and motioned for Tegan to walk to the altar.

I could feel Tegan shaking beside me already and I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before she walked over. She strode up the steps and over to the casket first, placing a gentle hand on it before turning around to address the mourners. She cleared her throat and adjusted her hat's place on her head.

"I first met Emy when she came to work with us at Sixth Company. We are the smallest firehouse in the city of Vancouver and we welcomed any new additions to our team with open arms. Our professional relationship blossomed as she worked closely with my team in Squad and that lead to a beautiful friendship. I know I speak for everyone in Sixth Company when I say that Dr Storey was more to us than our chief medic. Emy was strong, courageous, intelligent, and inspiring."

Tegan's voice broke a little as she held back tears. She looked to me and I smiled encouragingly.

"Not only was she an incredible doctor, but she also had many other talents. Emy enjoyed art in her free time and her talent shone through. I believe there is some of her art displayed in the order of service today and you will see for yourself what talent has been lost. I know we will all miss her unique sense of humour and the spirit she carried with her daily. Emy was gifted with the ability to give some of the best advice you could ever receive and sometimes I wondered what I'd do without it..."

Tegan paused as her words rang true. A few sniffs came from the mourners and a cough came from somewhere at the back.

"I feel honoured to have been with her in her last moments of life and I will stand here and tell you all that right to the bitter end, she worked hard and fought until there was nothing more to give. I also speak on behalf of the patients that owe Emy their lives, my own partner included, and say that without her they would have never had the second chance at life that she gave them. And that is the story I think we can all learn from the wonderful life this young woman lived. Life is too short. We can lose the people we hold dear in a matter of moments and there is nothing we can do to change it. We must embrace what we have and never forget those who leave us behind."

Tegan began to smile as she read. She pushed through sadness and into pride. Tears were falling from my eyes as I beamed back at her.

"There will always be a place for Emily Storey at Sixth Company. She will never leave our thoughts and she will never leave our hearts. Every life we save will be worth it just for her memory alone. It is with great sadness that we say farewell to our dear friend, our sister, but with great happiness we say thank you for the glorious life she lived and for her extraordinary presence in our own lives. The city of Vancouver has lost one of the best, and our streets will never be the same without her behind the wheel of ambulance 14."

By the end of Tegan's speech I was sobbing. She gave a grateful nod to those gathered in the cathedral as the roar of the applause raised right up to the rooftop. She came back down to the pew and before she could even sit down I was up and pulling her into my embrace. Her blazer was still damp from the rain but I didn't care. She blushed slightly before I pulled away and we sat back down again. I took her hand in both of mine and she placed a soft kiss on my cheek.

The pastor made his closing address before blessing the casket and blessing those who attended. He then called on Chief Burgan to introduce the final part of the service. He rose from his seat beside Tegan and joined the pastor at the altar. He spoke clearly.

"In the fire service we have a tradition for those who have fallen in the line of duty. Dr Storey may not have been a firefighter but she is still part of our firehouse and we will show her the same respect. The cathedral bell will ring three times in her honour to signify the end of the emergency. Emy's work was left unfinished the day she died and we will take it upon ourselves to help her finish what she started and let her rest in peace. Please stand."

Everyone in the cathedral stood up from the pews and waited. The bell rang out through the air three times before a brief pause. The pastor then broke the silence by signalling for Sixth Company to return to the casket and take Emy on her final journey. I let go of Tegan's hand as they walked off towards the casket and lifted it onto their shoulders. The pipe band started up again as they carried it back down the aisle. A small applause broke out around me and slowly it grew until there was a standing ovation for Emy and her memory as she was marched out of the cathedral.

Slowly the crowds shuffled back out into the rain and I watched as Tegan and the boys put the coffin back into the hearse, the hat still sitting pride of place on top. The crowds still outside were now clapping as the hearse drove off for another private service for Emy's family. I walked over to Tegan and linked her arm in my arm.

"I couldn't have been more proud of you," I told her sincerely.

"Thank you for making everything better," she smiled at me before kissing me deeply.

We walked over towards the boys. They stood in a huddle, patting each other's backs and offering supportive hugs for those who needed them. Ted was the first to spot us and waved us over with a small smile.

"You wanna come to The Molly with us?" Tegan asked the group, "One last toast to Emy?"

Everyone just smiled.


	9. Life Is Too Short

**Mayday**

**Chapter Nine: Life Is Too Short**

**A/N: Sorry that this is short but I wanted to give you guys something. It's not my best writing but oh well. This week has been a bit dramatic and I was in the hospital for a bit so I'm behind on writing and updating. This is a short conclusion to the sad parts of this fic and towards the end my plans for everyone's happiness will be revealed. It was obviously going to happen anyway but whatever. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I always appreciate it. **

**Tegan**

After everything that had happened, I was really nervous to see Johnny again. After the funeral had been and gone I felt it was time to visit him at the hospital. Sara offered to come with me but I just left her napping in bed instead of dragging her halfway across town to see me upset. I had only just managed to go into the apartment without crying, but I was still hurting. Seeing Johnny would bring it all back again. I still couldn't shake off the image of him reaching out for me. I hated myself for turning away from him to try hopelessly to save Emy who was already gone. The guilt was taking over me like nothing else.

I arrived at his room with a selection of crap I picked up on my way there. I got him some fruit, gut-rotting amounts of candy, and some hockey magazines to make him smile. I worried that I was trying too hard already. I didn't even know if he was mad at me for leaving him alone when he needed me. I didn't even know if he still remembered everything that happened. They told me that he would wake up screaming during the night sometimes, but apparently that was normal for patients who go through intense trauma.

I paused at the door. The guilt came rushing in and I was frozen to the spot. I turned around and reconsidered my motives for being there before one of the nurses approached and opened the door for me with a smile. She followed me into the room and walked around to Johnny's bed as I stood awkwardly in the corner. She checked the intravenous fluid and opened the curtains at the window. I watched Johnny as he slept peacefully. On the outside he didn't look that bad apart from having one arm in a blue sling. They told us that he was shot three times; once in the arm, once in his left shoulder blade, and once in his upper abdomen. Without getting him to surgery in time, we would have had a double funeral. The nurse walked over and began to shake him gently awake.

"Oh, you don't need to disturb him for me!" I insisted, trying to hide my insecurity.

"Don't be silly, honey," the nurse smiled, "All he does is nap anyway!"

Johnny started to grumble and his eyes gently fluttered open.

"Mr Andrews?" the nurse raised her voice a bit, "You have a visitor."

He tried to sit up but winced, falling back onto the pillows again. The nurse helped him prop himself up before smiling at both of us and leaving. I watched as it took him a few seconds to adjust his eyes to new light streaming in through the window. He blinked a few times before scanning the room to find me standing in the shadows.

"Tegan!" he beamed at me before nodding for me to come closer.

Despite the cheery greeting, I was still hesitant. I shuffled over to a chair beside the bed and sat down, not saying a word. I pushed the stuff I bought for him into his lap and he thanked me kindly. There was a silence afterward and I guessed he was waiting for me to say something. I looked down at my shoes, letting the rubber of the soles scuff the laminate as I tried so hard to keep my tears inside.

"Tegan," he whispered, "Tegan, please look at me."

I lifted my head up and saw Johnny smiling at me. He patted a spot on the bed with his good hand and I pulled myself from the chair to sit on the mattress. He reached out with the same hand, palm facing up and fingers extended. As soon as I registered the familiar sight I couldn't help the tears that came tumbling down my cheeks. I hid my face in my jacket, trying to hide my emotions but failing spectacularly. I felt a strong hand meet the back of my neck and gently Johnny pulled me toward him. My forehead met his forehead and as soon as I could feel his hot breath on my face, I sobbed. He held me there like that and suddenly I forgot to hide it all.

"I'm sorry," I whimpered, "I'm so sorry I let you down like that."

"You didn't let me down," Johnny's voice was soft.

"She was gone," my voice cracked under the tears, "There was nothing left of her but I still tried."

"You don't need to explain yourself to me. I know you, Tegan. Your heart went before your head and that's okay."

"Not if I want to be a good firefighter."

Johnny ran a thumb across my cheek to catch another of my many escaping tears.

"You are the best god damned firefighter in this city and you know it."

"But I shouldn't have left you. That's not the way."

His grip went from my neck to my shoulder as we still sat with our foreheads pressed together, whispering like little kids in a blanket fort in the dead of night.

"I sat here on my ass, in fucking agony, and watched every damn second of that poor girl's funeral on the news, my heart fucking bleeding for her parents and her friends. Do you know how badly I wished that was me in her place? She had so much going for her. She had a life, Tegan. What do I do? I wake up, go to work, get pissed at The Molly and repeat. I cheated death and I don't fucking deserve it."

I looked to see tears coming from him now. I had never seen Johnny cry before.

"You know they had cameras in there, right? Right at the back. They filmed it for every station in Vancouver. I saw you and Sara put her hat on the casket. I saw the fear in Emy's mother's eyes about living in a world where her little girl exists only in other people's memories. That speech, Tegan. Your pops would have been so proud of you."

At the mention of my dad, my sobs returned. All I lived to do was love Sara and make my father proud.

"Now I want you to stop saying sorry to me. You did what anyone would do. I still love you like you're my own sister and nothing will ever change that, Tegan. I promise. Like you said, life is too short. Apologies and regrets don't mean anything anymore. I'm done sitting around wasting the only time I have left. It's you and me fighting for what Emy has left us. She left me a second chance and she gave you the gift of Sara's life. Don't live in the past, Tegan. Focus on now. You have Sara and the rest of your lives together to be thinking about instead of some kid with a gun that took your pride away from you."

I pulled my face away from Johnny so I could look at him properly. I saw the tears pouring from his tired eyes as he again tried to catch more of mine. We looked at each other, sniffing and crying like two idiots, and we both began to laugh. Small chuckles erupted into fits of giggles and before we knew it we were crying tears of joy. I hugged him close and we stayed like that for a minute until he started to get uncomfortable.

"Hey, I've got you!" I got up from sitting and helped him back down onto the pillows, "Sit back."

"I'm sick of looking at this room," he grumbled, "They never let me out in my chair."

"I'll take you out in the chair," I suggested, "Let me buzz for the nurse."

I flicked the little switch on the wall beside the bed and waited for a nurse to appear. I went to the door and pulled over the wheelchair sitting next to it, smiling at Johnny. The same nurse as before came striding in and peered over at the wheelchair.

"Alright if I take him for a spin?" I asked.

The nurse frowned, "Fine, but let me help you get him into it."

She grabbed him on his sensitive side and I took his other arm and told him to lean against me. Johnny shuffled to the edge of the bed before the nurse and I supported most of his weight and lowered him into the wheelchair. I grabbed a blanket from the bed and wrapped it around his shoulders while the nurse unclipped the bag containing the intravenous fluid from its stand and put it onto another stand that would attach to the chair.

"Don't have him out for too long," the nurse warned me.

"I'll just scoot him about the halls," I smiled, "No big adventures today."

She opened the door and I wheeled Johnny out, taking a left and trying to get as far away from the nurse as possible.

"Thank Christ for you, Tegan," he chuckled, "So how is the lovely Sara? I miss her, you know."

"She's good," I giggled, "She wanted to be here but she's got lots of work to mail to her bosses and stuff. She still pretty torn up about Emy but we all will be for a while."

Johnny nodded and we kept going. We wandered out of his unit and down towards the cafeteria area. A nice doctor held open a door for us and I thanked him.

"Johnny, while I'm here and we're on the subject of life's too short and Sara, can I ask you something?" my voice went from calm to nervous almost instantly.

"Of course you can," he beamed up at me, "What is it?"

I paused as I looked for the words that had been floating around my brain since the funeral. In my head my thoughts seemed ridiculous. I couldn't tell if grief was making me crazy or if my heart was finally trying to tell me the truth. I took a deep breath.

"I think I'm going to ask Sara to marry me."

I looked down at Johnny, trying to get a sense of his reaction. His face was composed, not a hint of emotion. He brought a hand to his face, rubbing at the stubble on his chin, before sighing.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked.

"Absolutely," my reply was immediate, "Life is too short."

"Then why the hell not?" he chuckled, "I like a good wedding."

"Woah, I haven't even proposed yet!"

"Then you better get planning, Romeo!"

"I have enough money left from my dad's estate to give her a fancy wedding if she wants."

"Hey, what happened to not even proposed yet?"

"Fuck," I sighed, "I'll need to buy a ring!"

My excitement grew and I felt my nerves turn into ecstatic butterflies floating around in my stomach. Mrs Sara Quin had a nice ring to it.


	10. Road Trip

**Mayday**

**Chapter Ten: Road Trip **

**A/N: I'm sorry for the wait with this. It won't happen again. This proposal will be over two chapters so this is more of a build up to the feels that will come next time. There may or may not be fan art for this chapter so keep an eye on my tumblr if you're interested. Thanks for reading. **

**Sara**

Tegan had been acting rather strangely for the past few days and it was making me uneasy. She would disappear at all hours, running around in the car with Ted or whoever else, and come back and act like nothing was going on. When I asked questions she would just kiss me sweetly and ask to see my latest drawings. I was glad to see she was dealing with her grief and feeling less guilty over events with Johnny but all the secrets were starting to agitate me.

While Tegan was skidding around the streets of Vancouver in her hatchback during her free hours, I was beginning to make friends with the new medic Sixth Company had been allocated by the board. Her name was Kate, a close friend of Damon's from the previous firehouse they both worked at. She took a keen interest in the work I was doing with the comic book and I was more than happy to show her the panels I had been working on. The subject of Tegan's shenanigans came up one morning shift over coffee in the community wing.

"Do you know what she's up to?" Kate asked with a smile.

I sighed, putting my Squad mug down on the long table, "I have no fucking clue but it's really starting to bug me. Did I tell you that she's started to hide things from me her closet now? She locks it when I'm not in the room with her."

"Wow," Kate chuckled, "Damon knows what's going on because Ted let it slip but he won't tell me."

"God, those boys gossip more than us," I laughed and took another sip of coffee.

"From what I can tell it's something exciting," Kate sighed happily, peering down at the paper in front of her, "No need to worry."

**Tegan **

"Are you one hundred percent sure everything is ready to go?" Ted asked as we drove back to the firehouse.

"One hundred percent sure," I smiled, "Tickets are purchased, you picked up the keys yesterday, Chief Burgan gave us the weekend off, the bags are packed, and now the ring has been chosen."

"God, Tegan," he smirked, "I never thought I'd see the day you were getting ready to spend the rest of your life with someone."

"I know it's soon," I sighed, "But I really fucking love her, Ted, and I can't imagine my life without her in it."

Ted looked at his watch, "Well you better go and get her because time isn't on your side right now."

We pulled up to the curb outside the firehouse and I killed the engine. We walked into the community wing to find Sara and Kate having their morning coffee at the table. I walked up behind Sara, putting my hands on her shoulders.

"Come on," I smiled, "We need to get going if we want to make it on time."

Sara looked around at me, "I beg your pardon?"

"Finish that coffee and get your coat because we've got places to be," I smiled again before placing a kiss on the top of her head.

She stared at me like I was asking her to do the impossible. I motioned for her to hurry and she downed what was left in her mug with a suspicious look on her face. She scraped her chair back and left to fetch her coat from her locker. I saw Ted as he tried hard to suppress a giggle of excitement.

"Would someone like to tell me what's going on?" Kate asked, folding her paper over and removing her glasses.

I began to answer before Ted completely interrupted.

"Tegan's going to ask Sara to marry her!" Ted exclaimed and I shot him a look of annoyance.

"Keep your voice down!" I snapped, peering through the glass of the door to make sure Sara was definitely out if earshot.

"That's why you've been acting weird all week?" Kate asked, surprised.

"Yup," I replied with a gummy smile.

Kate grinned at me and was just about to speak when Sara came back, winter parka on and zipped up.

"Good, you'll be needing that," I said as I held out my hand.

She took it, still apprehensive, "Okay..."

I said goodbye to Kate and Ted and gave them both a wink before pulling Sara out of the door. We walked back to my car and I opened the passenger door for Sara to get in.

"Tegan, what the hell is going on?" she asked as we drove off.

I flashed her the biggest smile before replying, "We're going on a road trip!"

**Sara**

I was in shock as we drove to the apartment and got out of the car.

"A road trip?!" I asked.

"Come on!" Tegan was practically bouncing up and down, "I packed your bag already!"

We climbed the stairs up to the apartment and once inside, Tegan scurried into the bedroom. She emerged with two rucksacks and handed them to me before running off down the hall again. I opened one up to see my clothes neatly folded with some clean underwear, a spare pair of shoes, one of my sketchbooks, and my illustration pens. I looked up to see Tegan coming back with a huge blue cooler in her arms. She flashed a goofy smile at me before ushering me out of the door, bags in hand.

"You know, if I wasn't so confused right now I'd tell you how sexy you look when you use your strength," I smirked.

She blushed a little and we continued walking. It only occurred to me that we might have a small issue when we finally reached the car.

"Tegan, how the fuck are we going to fit all this in the back?" I questioned as she set the cooler down on the ground.

"Oh, we're not taking my car," she smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes, "Ted should be here any minute."

Things were getting more puzzling by the second and I was struggling to keep up with every weird surprise Tegan seemed to be pulling out of nowhere. I stared at her as she bounced on her heels, craning her neck to peer up the street in both directions. She was definitely up to something. It was written all over her face. It also kind of pissed me off that some of the boys, and probably Kate, were in on it all.

There was a squeak of old brakes and I looked up to see a large VW camper rolling down the street, Ted behind the wheel. Tegan squealed slightly and waved at Ted as he pulled up in front of us on the curb. He rolled down the window, smiling at me before killing the engine and chucking the keys at Tegan.

"Seriously?" I looked at Tegan sceptically as she slid open the side door, "Where the hell did you get this?"

"It's Ted's brother's!" she beamed at me as she flung the rucksacks into the back.

Tegan handed Ted the keys for her hatchback and gave him a hug before he got in and drove off. I helped her lift the cooler into the back of the camper van and noticed another few bags that had already been added to our cargo.

"Tegan?" I asked as we drove off towards the coast.

"Yes, love?" she smiled at me from behind the wheel.

"Where exactly are we going?"

"Well, right now we have a ferry to catch."

**Tegan**

We drove up the west coast to Langdale on one of the most beautiful days I had seen in a while. As I sat behind the wheel, I couldn't help feeling the greatest satisfaction I had felt in all my life. Sara held my hand as the sun streamed in through the windscreen. I made a mix CD of all of her favourites and she bopped along in her seat as we made our way to the ferry terminal that would take us from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale.

"You know what I like most about being with you?" she said as she gazed out of the passenger side window.

"What's that?" I asked, rubbing my thumb across the back of her hand.

"That I don't have to pretend with you," she said, "I can be sad if I want to. I don't have to hide it."

"And are you sad, Sara?"

"I've never been happier."

**Sara**

I stood on the top deck of the second ferry we had been on that day, nursing a warm cup of coffee as Tegan parked the van down below deck. I pulled my parka around me a little more tightly as the wind whipped across our little part of the North Pacific. I knew now that we were off to somewhere on Vancouver Island.

Despite all the sudden surprises and confusion, I was actually really enjoying just being with Tegan and having time to ourselves. Being in Vancouver and being part of Sixth Company meant that the only real alone time we ever got was when we went to bed. We were surrounded by people all day every day and, as much as I loved the new friends that I had made, sometimes I just wished I could have Tegan all to myself.

I gazed out at the mountains and the trees while taking in a breath of fresh air. It was nice to be out of the city for once. I think Tegan could tell that I had been needing a break after everything that had happened back in Vancouver. She needed one more than me but she would never admit it. Now as I stood against the railings of the ferry, I felt more relaxed than I had felt in months. I closed my eyes and took in every sound and smell, not wanting to forget a single feeling.

"It really is beautiful out here," Tegan's voice was close to my ear.

I opened my eyes to see her standing behind me, her own parka zipped right up to her chin. I smiled as she wrapped her arms around my waist from behind, resting her chin on my shoulder. Letting my head fall against the side of hers, I stared back out at the water.

"I'm sorry if all these surprises have been too much for you, Sar," Tegan sighed.

"Don't say that," I reached around to kiss her temple, "I was just thinking to myself how badly we both needed a break."

"I could've organised everything a bit better but it's hard to keep secrets," her voice was small.

I giggled, "I must admit the secrecy of it all was getting a bit ridiculous."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry for being so kind, Tegan."

"Just know that it only gets better from here. Do you trust me on that?"

"I trust you with my life but I thought I'd proved that already, Lieutenant."

She chuckled and her breath tickled my ear. We stood in a comfortable silence and watched as birds flew low over the water. Tegan wrestled with my parka in order to bury her face my neck, her cold nose raising goose bumps on my warm flesh as she placed gentle kisses on every patch of skin she could find. I sighed happily and leant back into the hold she had on me.

**Tegan**

I was so tempted to ask her there and then on that ferry. Looking at her as the wind messed up her hair and forced a small smile out of her made my hand go to the little box resting in my pocket. But I couldn't. Not yet. There was so much more I wanted to do on this trip. So much more I wanted to say. I contained the little whimper I felt rising in my throat and buried my face into her neck to stop myself from ruining every plan I had set out in my head.

We drove the van off of the ferry once we reached the terminal and I took us out onto the main stretch of road. The sun was finally starting to disappear and was creating a beautiful pink, almost purple, haze in the sky.

"Three hours down and three more to go," I grinned at Sara as she pulled a grumpy face.

"At least you know where we're going," she sighed.

"The place I'm taking you is somewhere special," I told her, "Or at least special to me."

"How come?" she asked as she reached for my hand.

"Dad and I used to go there to camp when I was little. Every year when he got his time off we would go. It was my favourite thing in the whole world. I haven't been back since he died."

I felt tears in my eyes and I tried my hardest to pull them back. I blinked hard and gripped the wheel a little more tightly, setting my gaze firmly ahead. I didn't want Sara to see me get emotional but she felt the shift in my body.

"Oh, Tegan," her grip on my hand increased in pressure.

"I'm fine."

I squeezed her fingers back just as hard before letting her hand go. I switched the radio back on to fill the silence that I wished didn't exist. Starting to concentrate on my mental map, I let my mind wander to the stops we had before we finally reached our destination.


	11. The Proposal

**Mayday**

**Chapter Eleven: The Proposal **

**Sara**

It was getting late as Tegan finally drove off of the main highway and down a dirt path. Anyone would have missed it in the darkness had they not been looking for it. I kept my eyes on the road ahead, glancing up at the trees whose tops were disappearing under the night sky as they rose up into the night. The stars were out and the moon acted as the only light to help guide the van down the trail.

"That sky is certainly something you don't see in the city," I grinned as we turned a corner.

Tegan's gummy smile emerged, "Wait until you see the sight that's coming up just around this bend."

We turned one last corner before the trees finally parted and I heard the crunch of gravel as the tyres met new terrain. I looked ahead and my jaw dropped. The most beautiful lake I had ever seen stretched out right in front of us, the deep purple of the sky reflecting off of the surface of the water. Pieces of driftwood lay along the edge of the lake and there was an area further off at the side where a picnic table stood. Dark pine trees hugged each side of the lake and broke off somewhere in the centre of the horizon, revealing a stunning snow topped mountain just visible in the moon's pale light.

"Welcome to Schoen Lake," Tegan beamed before killing the engine.

She hopped out of the van and ran around the front before pulling my door open. She held out a hand and I took it, jumping down onto the ground to stand beside her. Tegan wrapped an arm around me and we both stopped to stare at our view again.

"Tegan..." I couldn't get the words out, "This is..."

"Beautiful?" she asked, grinning.

"Beautiful," I repeated.

I placed a hand on either side of her face and pulled her into me. Our lips crashed together and I tried my hardest to show her every feeling that I couldn't verbally express without getting caught up in my emotions. My heart fluttered wildly in my chest as Tegan moaned a little and grabbed onto my hips. We broke apart and she wrapped her arms around me tightly.

"I love you," I almost whimpered into her ear, "I love you so much it hurts."

Her hold on me tightened even more before she let go, patting my back gently. She smiled before turning behind me and sliding open the van's side door.

"I brought some blankets, beer, and extra food," she called back around to me, "I thought we could make a fire and have a really gross dinner for fun."

"Sounds wonderful," I chuckled.

**Tegan**

We set up our small camp just at the lake's edge. I helped Sara pull two large pieces of driftwood around a spot where someone had made a small fire before us. I leant next to the pit and tried my best to get the fire going but I was having no luck.

"You know, for someone who deals with fires every day, you're really shit at starting one," Sara laughed, sipping her beer.

"Well you start it then and I'll sort out dinner," I sighed.

I pushed myself up and headed towards the cooler, squeezing Sara's side as I passed her. Opening the cooler, I grabbed a beer and sat on one of the driftwood pieces. I watched her as she struggled with the fire.

"Not as easy as it looks, eh?" I smirked.

Sara continued to pack in more twigs as she muttered to herself. Finally, little wisps of smoke started to appear and the wood began to crackle. She turned to me and raised her eyebrows, a sly grin creeping across her face. I reached into the cooler and pulled out a packet of hot dogs.

Sara smiled, "So what's for dinner?"

"I brought us some hot dogs to put on sticks and roast in the fire. I also have some ramen we can boil too. And all the stuff we need for smores, obviously."

I watched as she chuckled, turning back around to come over and join me on the driftwood. She sat down next to me and I threw my arm casually over her shoulder, pulling her closer.

"When I was younger my mum would send me to school with raw ramen. I'd just eat it out of the packet in chunks," Sara giggled.

I pulled a face, "Eww, isn't that so gross?"

Sara shook her head and reached down to pick up a ramen packet. She tore open the plastic and held it out to me.

"You don't eat the little pouch of flavouring," she instructed as she picked it out, "You just break off the corners of the noodles and have those."

"Are you sure?" I asked, slightly turning my nose up at it.

"Positive," she snapped off a bite, "I promise."

I took the little piece from between Sara's fingers and brought it to my mouth. My teeth crunched through the noodles and Sara grinned. It tasted bland and the texture was a little too dry and dusty.

"So?" Sara beamed.

"It's... alright," I mumbled through the crumbles in my mouth.

She continued to break the noodles up and began to nibble them as I got up to fetch some suitable length sticks for roasting the hot dogs. I stuck the meat on the end and passed one to Sara.

Everything so far had ran without a hitch. I couldn't have been more pleased at her reactions throughout the whole journey. But as we tucked into dinner my nerves started to get the better of me. I watched the meat on my stick turn black as the flames licked its sides and I couldn't help panic. I knew what I wanted to say. I was one hundred percent certain that I had thought of everything. I just didn't know when to ask. I couldn't tell when the time would be right.

**Sara**

Tegan had gone awfully quiet all of a sudden. I looked at her as she got lost in the flames that flickered in front of us. She slipped into her daydream and forgot about her hot dog.

"Tee, you've cremated that dog," I laughed as I tapped her arm, "Let me get you a new one."

I grabbed the packet at my feet and pulled out another hot dog. As my head came back up to her level, Tegan was finally looking at me again but the blank stare stayed on her face. It was like she could see a ghost over my shoulder.

"Tegan, all the colour has drained from your face," concern crept into my voice, "What's wrong?"

Tegan grabbed my stick out of my hand and stuck both hers and mine into the ground, my hot dog flopping off and landing in the dirt. She shuffled a bit closer to me and reached for my hands. The look of fear in her eyes still hadn't shifted and I felt worry creep into every bone in my body. Her fingers felt tense in mine and I squeezed her hands to let her know it was okay.

"Sara," she finally gulped, "I want to ask you something."

I let one of her hands go and reached up to sweep her curly bangs out of her eyes. She smiled sheepishly before gulping hard again. She cleared her throat and I waited.

"Sara, fate brought us together in a really awful way. You could have died right there in my arms that day and I would have never been able to know you as the wonderful woman that you are. Then everything that happened with Emy just proved to me even more that everything is so fragile. We say all this stuff at the firehouse about serving and protecting but really we can never truly serve and protect everyone in our lives."

I watched as she fiddled with my fingers as she spoke, twisting them around gently in her own.

" The only thing we can try our hardest to do is fix the things that are broken. What I've learnt now is that it's harder to fix the broken things when you're the one that's broken yourself. Once you've been doing my job for as long as I have, you can sometimes shut out pain and hurt and that's not what we need. You've taught me that it's good to feel pain sometimes. You were broken and I helped fix you by giving you your life back but you also helped me fix myself."

Tears came to Tegan's eyes and I saw them sparkle in the light of the fire. She was gripping onto my hands so tightly that it hurt but I couldn't bear to tell her to stop.

"Ever since I lost my dad I had been putting all that hurt aside and focussing on my job. I had forgotten how to live, Sar. Then you came into my life and taught me that it's alright to feel things. You didn't give up on me when I told you it would be difficult for us to be together. You proved to me that love has no boundaries."

A little whimper tickled my throat and I finally let my own tears emerge. This made Tegan giggle a little and she reach over to wipe away some of the wet tracks on my face with her thumb.

"Even when I'm sad, Sara, I like feeling that sadness because being sad reminds me that I have you to make me not sad, and that as a whole makes me a better person. A person that you deserve to love."

As quickly as I could blink, Tegan was down in the gravel on one knee. My heart felt like it skipped several beats as I watched her pull a small box from her jacket pocket. A laugh escaped me but it came out like a sob. I smiled as my tears stung my eyes and I tried to wipe them away as best I could. I wanted to remember this moment as clearly as possible until my dying day.

"Sara Clement, I love you with every fibre of my being. I want us to get one of those cute little houses in the suburbs with nice neighbours and a green lawn. I want to be able to give you children, as many as you desire. I want us to be one of those couples who host summer barbeques and mingle with the adults while the kids run around at our feet. I want to come here again on family camping trips like I did with my dad. I want grow old with you and spend every day of my life loving you like the first time."

Tegan flashed me her sweetest gummy smile and opened the box, revealing an engagement ring.

"Sara, will you marry me?" she croaked out.

I sniffed and slid off the driftwood, joining her on the bumpy gravel. I let my hand find the soft skin of her face as I ran the backs of my fingers over her cheek gently.

"Yes," I whispered.

I bit my lip and grinned as Tegan took the ring from the box, snapping it shut and putting it back in her pocket. I held up my left hand and she slipped the ring onto my finger.

Tegan laughed through her sniffles, "Now you get to be Mrs Quin."

I nodded my head and chuckled, reaching for the back of her neck and pulling her closer. I kissed away each tear as they fell from her eyes and she gave a small sigh of what could only be relief. My lips travelled from her cheeks to the tip of her nose and finally to her own lips. My head spun as I registered that I wasn't just kissing my girlfriend anymore, I was kissing my fiancé. I let the word ring out in my mind.

I pulled away and giggled, "Hey, now I'm going to be a firefighter's wife!"

"Yeah, and you can pose nude in one of those charity calendars they do." Tegan smirked, "You'd make a nice Miss September."

I gave her a playful shove that turned a little too playful and she tumbled backwards into the gravel off of her one knee. The laugh that erupted from her belly echoed through the trees as I pulled her back up.

"I'll hang it up in my locker and blow it up to put behind the bar at The Molly," she howled as her tears of happiness turned into those of laughter.

She leant back against the driftwood and pulled me into her lap.

"So this was your whole plan all along?" I beamed at her, "A trip with a proposal at the end?"

She just nodded.

**Tegan**

We finished dinner and the purple haze of the sky had now turned to black. Sara was starting to fall asleep in my lap and I sat with her, watching her eyelids droop. The sight of her brought back my own memories of being in this exact spot with my father. Every night I would fall asleep in my little camping chair as it got late and he would have to carry me to our tent. Sometimes I would just pretend so he would pick me up. When he lifted me off of the ground it felt like the closest thing to flying.

"Sara," I whispered into her ear, "You can't sleep here, love."

She mumbled a little, nuzzling her face further into my neck. I kissed the top of her head before feeling her groan against my skin. She pulled at her eyes with her fingers and stood, her tired body leaving the warmth of mine.

She plopped down onto the driftwood as I strode off towards the van to retrieve a bucket from the back. I walked toward the edge of the lake and gathered up as much water as the bucket could hold.

"Stand back," I called over to Sara, "I don't want you getting smoke in your eyes."

She got up and shuffled off as I walked over to the fire, tipping the water over the flames. Smoke billowed from the pile and I shoved my face down into my jacket. I waited for the air to clear before stamping out the wood with my boot for good measure.

I joined Sara again and reached for her hand, pulling her back towards the van.

"We're not going to have to set up a tent at this time, right?" she groaned.

"Nope," I smiled, "We're crashing in the back of the van."

I took out the keys and opened the door, sliding it back for Sara. She jumped in and moved more gear to the side as I grabbed blankets and pillows from a bundle. It was a tight squeeze but we just managed to lie down, our feet almost touching the piles of camping gear I had tucked in the corners.

"You smell like smoke and hot dogs," Sara giggled as she rested her head on my chest, her leg thrown across my waist.

"We'll shower tomorrow," I laughed.

Silence fell on us both. I lay and listened to Sara's sleepy breaths in the darkness. The only sound I could hear came from her and it comforted me. Once I was sure she was sleeping I let myself start to drift off.

"Hey, Tegan," she whispered, pulling me out of a sleepy daze.

"Hmm?" was all I could say.

"I love you."


	12. Plans and Preparations

**Mayday**

**Chapter Twelve: Plans and Preparations **

**A/N: Apologies for the brief hiatus. I really don't think it'll happen again. I'm filling a few chapters with plot and fluff to balance things out before the wedding. This might be a little short but it's better than nothing. I hope you like it. **

**Sara **

I hadn't been to many weddings before. Thinking back to the few I had attended brought certain memories to mind. Just after my seventeenth birthday I had my first real taste of alcohol at my great aunt's wedding in Ontario. My only remaining memories of that night spent swaying around a dance floor with strangers were clouded by a tipsy haze. However, I could clearly remember my first kiss with a woman at my cousin's wedding a little over two years later. The girl's lips were tainted with cheap champagne but at the time it seemed like the most magical moment. Just before I left Montreal to work in Vancouver I was invited to the wedding of a college classmate. Attending with a newly broken heart, I didn't expect to enjoy myself too much. As I watched the bride and groom have their first dance as newlyweds, it occurred to me that maybe there was still a chance my heart would heal. I could never have predicted that the next wedding I would be attending would be my own.

I had a hard time trying to get Tegan to help pick out the finer details of our big day. Any time she wasn't fighting fires and saving lives I was handing her colour charts and fabric scraps. "That one's okay," she would yawn before passing out beside me in bed. I would stay up to all hours of the morning scribbling in my new wedding scrapbook; looking over menus and scouring the internet for possible venues. I'd wake up each morning with a sore neck, body outside the covers, and my glasses hanging lopsidedly off my face.

"I really need you to help me out with this guest list," I told her over breakfast one morning.

Tegan smiled and nodded as she ate her pancakes.

"I promise that you won't have to help with anything else today once we're done," I sighed as I scanned the list I had made in my scrapbook.

"Don't worry about it," she said as she reached for my hand, "I want to help you as much as I can on my days off."

I scooted my chair around to her side of the table as she pushed away her empty plate. Handing her the scrapbook, I watched her eyes closely as she squinted, checking over all the names I could possibly think to jot down.

"Is this everyone we both know?" Tegan asked as she reached for her own glasses that sat on top of the morning newspaper.

"We don't need to invite everyone," I suggested, "We can have a smaller, intimate wedding if you would like."

"Would you mind if we did?"

I paused and ran the thought over in my mind. A smaller wedding did seem like the more sensible option. We were only working with a firefighter's salary and the little bit of money Tegan had left from her father's estate. I didn't have any money coming in and was still waiting to hear back about my first draft of the comic book. It wasn't like I wanted to invite the whole of Vancouver anyway.

"I wouldn't mind at all."

**Tegan **

We cleared away our mess from breakfast and brought our plans to the living room. We sprawled out on the floor, Sara lying next to me with the scrapbook in front of us. She pulled out pieces of paper and I brought through my dad's old address book that I kept in my closet.

"So who isn't going to make the cut?" Sara asked.

"Let's start with who will and go from there?" I suggested and picked up a pen.

I pulled the list closer and marked ticks beside Sara's parents, everyone at the firehouse, and some of Sara's old friends from Montreal that I knew she was still close with. My heart grew a little heavier as I looked at my column on the page. Only written down did it occur to me just how little family I had. Apart from at the firehouse, I had no one. I gave a little sigh which didn't go unnoticed.

"I really don't want you to have to go through this day alone, Tee," Sara whispered as she began to rub small circles on my back.

"I won't be alone as long as you are there," I smiled weakly, "And all my friends from work will be there too."

"Maybe we could invite Emy's parents?" Sara wondered as I swallowed a lump in my throat.

"Oh, Sara, I couldn't. Not after everything that's happened."

"They treat you like their own, Tegan. Even now that she's gone, they still care."

I added their names to the list and marked them off as Sara squeezed my ribs reassuringly. She was right. It would be hard to invite them and see them there without Emy but it was the least I could do.

**Sara **

After finalising the guest list I set to work on designing the invitations. Tegan suggested that I should illustrate something for the front and I couldn't believe I didn't think of that myself. She made lunch as I ran out to the art supply store to buy card and new ink for my illustration pens.

It took the whole of lunch for me to decide what to draw. I searched the internet for interesting ideas but came up blank. I finally decided to go down the more personal route and searched through folders and folders of pictures I had taken with Tegan.

"How about that one?" Tegan whispered in my ear as she peered over my shoulder.

She pointed to a picture I had taken on our trip to the lake after she proposed. We woke up in the van and snuggled for a little while before heading back to Vancouver. I had taken out my camera and snapped pictures of Tegan's bed head and our sleepy faces close together. The picture she was suggesting was one I took of our hands intertwined on top of our blankets, my engagement ring clearly visible. I had always loved the contrast between Tegan's strong, calloused hands and my own thin, fragile ones.

"Just illustrate our hands," she suggested, "Keep it simple black and white and you can't go wrong."

For someone who didn't really care for art other than my own, Tegan did have a real eye for detail.

"Perfect," I whispered to her as I leant back and turned my head to kiss her softly.

**Tegan**

I spent my evening working up a sweat in the living room as Sara drew. She sat at the kitchen table for hours while I slammed away at my punching bag, Sleigh Bells on the stereo at full blast.

"Tegan!" I thought I heard Sara call.

I was so focused on the music and my rhythm as I punched that I barely heard her.

"TEGAN QUIN, TURN THAT RACKET OFF!" Sara screamed at me from across the room.

I finally turned to see her growling at me before reaching for the volume controls.

"What?" I said, giving her attitude like a stroppy teenager.

"My phone is ringing," she held it up, "It's my parents."

My eyes went wide at the mention of her parents. Despite knowing a lot about Sara and her life back in Montreal, her parents weren't often a subject that came up. Sure, I knew their names , occupations and such but I had never even spoken to them before, let alone met them. From what Sara had told me they seemed formal and I imagined her childhood being a lot different to my own.

I watched as Sara answered the call. She gave me a nervous smile as she said hello and I immediately knew this wasn't going to be pleasant. She hadn't even worked out a way to tell them she was engaged yet.

"Mum, I've got some news," Sara started, "Well, actually _we've_ got some news."

I heard an awkward pause.

"Mum, Tegan asked me to marry her and I said yes."

Despite being nervous, Sara still smiled as she said those words that I'd never get tired of hearing. Another awkward pause followed and I saw Sara's face twist into a look of concern. I ripped off my boxing gloves and started to peel the tape from my wrists and knuckles. I grabbed my towel from the couch and threw it over my shoulder, walking across to Sara.

"Mum, please," Sara reasoned, "We really want you both to be there at the wedding."

I watched as she paced for a minute, finally stopping to stand next to me. I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. I could faintly hear her mother's voice coming down the other line.

_"Sara, can you really expect such an immediate answer after dropping this bomb so suddenly?"_

Sara sighed beside me. She unwrapped herself from my arm and walked off towards the couch, taking a seat rather dramatically. I turned to approach but she put up her hand. I stood in the kitchen looking lost.

More awkward silences and sighs came as I watched the clock tick on the wall opposite. They had been on the phone for half an hour. I couldn't understand what was left to be said. I finally started to walk toward Sara again and this time she didn't protest. I grabbed her free hand and pulled her up to her feet, picking her up with one arm. She tangled her legs around my waist and rested her hand on my shoulder as she continued with "Yes, Mum" and "No, Mum" in my ear. I started to kiss and bite at her neck gently as she talked which caused her to sigh happily. I must have nibbled too hard or hit a sweet spot on her skin as she let out a giggle.

"Nothing," Sara said to her mother as she nodded for me to let her go, "Sorry."

I put her down safely and waited again.

"Okay, Mum," I finally heard, "I'll ask her. Talk soon."

Sara hung up and shoved her phone into her back pocket.

"Well?" I asked.

"My parents want to meet you before any wedding happens."

I took in a breath and pondered. It had been years since a girl had brought me home to meet her parents. I knew the protocols but this was different. I wasn't just meeting my girlfriend's parents, I was meeting my fiancée's parents - my future parents-in-law. I was a perfectly acceptable catch to present to anybodies parents, in my opinion, but Sara's parents seemed different than any parents I'd ever had the potential to meet. Still, it had to happen sometime.

"Looks like we're going to Montreal then," I smiled.

Sara grinned back at me and jumped back into my arms. She placed a soft kiss on my lips before resting her forehead against my own.

"Bed?" I asked.

She shook her head, "Let's go shower..."

I saw the twinkle in her eye and winked at her.

"You smell so bad anyway," she giggled back.


	13. Parents

**Mayday **

**Chapter Thirteen: Parents **

**A/N: Here's a nice long chapter. I still need to transfer all my fics over to the new site, so if you have an account there you can look out for that. I'll still update here as well as there. Thanks for reading. **

**Tegan **

"This is as far as I can take you kids in these conditions, " the driver shook his head, "I'm sorry."

The snow crunched under my boots as I climbed out of the cab, my hand gripping tightly to Sara's. Helping her out, I smiled at her nervously. She gave my hand a quick squeeze before letting it go and trudging around to get our bags out from the trunk. I passed the driver a ten dollar bill and told him to keep the change. "Let me carry those!" I called over to Sara as she struggled with the last bag.

I shuffled through the snow to her and pulled a few bags from her arms before slamming the trunk closed, giving the side window a tap to let the driver know he was good to go. Sara beamed at me, "Your first Montreal Winter!" She tugged on my jacket sleeve and motioned for me to follow her lead to her parent's house on the corner.

As we carefully made our way down the blanketed sidewalk, I took time to look at the houses on either side of the street. They were fancy. They were the kind of houses I expected lawyers or bank managers to live in. Sara told me her father was a successful financial advisor and that her mother was a therapist so they probably could afford an expensive house like these with ease. I eyed up the sports cars sitting in the driveway of each home under piles of snow and the real pine Christmas trees sitting proudly in each living room window. I couldn't quite imagine quirky little Sara growing up in a neighbourhood like this.

"Here we are," Sara smiled as we reached the corner.

Her parent's house looked exactly the same as the others, complete with sports car and Christmas tree. I paused and watched Sara as she climbed the steps outside and reached the door, dropping the bags she carried. She looked back down at me and I smiled, taking in another nervous breath. I carefully made my way up the steps to her and turned to ring the doorbell. Sara tugged on my sleeve again before my hand reached the bell. I whipped my head around to look at her.

"I know you're nervous, Tee," she said quietly, "I promise it'll be alright."

"What if they don't like me?" I asked, the worry in my voice hard to hide.

Sara reached up to adjust my scarf and pull my jacket collar tighter, "Don't even think like that."

She placed a gentle hand on my cheek and leaned in for a light kiss, her lips as cold as the snow we stood on. We broke apart and I placed another kiss on her forehead before finally ringing the doorbell. My stomach churned as we stood awkwardly in the cold. Finally, the door opened.

Sara's parents looked like they had stepped out of a Ralph Lauren catalogue. Despite it being the middle of December, they were both dressed like they were about to go for a casual trip on a yacht. Sara's father was immaculately groomed with a youthful glint in his eyes despite his greying hair and wrinkles around the edges. Her mother was radiant with her makeup expertly applied and every hair sitting perfectly in place on her head. The more I looked at them, the more I saw little parts of Sara in their complexions. Sara had the same eyes as her father and the same smile as her mother. There was no mistaking that she was their daughter.

"Sara!" her mother sighed happily as she embraced her, "We're so glad to have you home."

"Howdy, kiddo," Sara's father ruffled her short hair before hugging her tightly.

Sara stepped back to stand beside me, nudging me forward with a gentle hand on my back. My mouth felt dry. I tried to give them my best smile but I still felt stupid. Looking at them made me thankful that I had chosen to wear my best pea coat and let Sara slick my hair back. I didn't want them to think of me as some dirty little firehouse dog their daughter found on the street.

"Mum, Dad," Sara beamed as she reached for my hand, "This is Tegan."

There was a brief moment of tension that cut through the air. A second of silence sat uncomfortably as they both looked me up and down. I held onto Sara's hand so tightly, mentally screaming for the moment to end.

"It's so lovely to meet you at last, Tegan," Sara's mother smiled as she extended her hand.

I reached for her hand and shook it warmly, placing a soft kiss on her cheek that she wasn't expecting. I turned to shake her father's hand awkwardly and as soon as I noticed the hint of a frown on his serious face I pulled my hand back to grab onto Sara again.

"Come on in, you two must be freezing!" Sara's mother laughed, "Dinner's almost ready."

We stamped our snow covered feet on the doormat and shuffled in the doorway with our bags. As I expected, the house was just as fancy on the inside as it was outside. From where I stood in the long hallway I could spy a sitting room to my right, a large dining room to my left, the kitchen straight ahead, and a rather grand staircase leading up to the next floor. The colour scheme of the house seemed to be one of creams and beiges that flowed evenly between each room. I listened to the clicking of Sara's mother's high heels on the dark wood floor as she helped her daughter sit some of our bags next to the stairs.

"Put those bags by the rest of them, Tegan, and let me take your coat," her mother ushered.

"Thank you, Mrs Clement," I mumbled as I flashed her a shy smile.

"Oh, call me Sonia! Looks like we're going to be family soon enough anyway!"

I caught Sara sending a reassuring smile my way as she unwrapped her scarf from around her neck and hung it up on the coat stand. I grinned back while I peeled my coat off, revealing the three piece suit I decided to wear for the occasion. When I first showed Sara my clothes for the day she got mad, thinking I was deliberately trying too hard to look fancy. "I know I said they are formal but now you've taken it a little far," she had warned, her eyes burning right through me. I had to explain it was either this or my Lieutenant's uniform.

Sonia's eyes widened as she took me in, "You look very smart."

"Thanks," I blushed, "Took a lot of saving up to afford a nice one. I save it for weddings and things."

Sonia turned to her husband, "You like your suits dark too, don't you Bruce?"

Sara's father smiled awkwardly and nodded once.

"That all black combination highlights your eyes," Sara giggled.

All eyes were on me and it didn't help the nervous feeling in my gut. The awkward silence returned but before I could even say anything Sara chased it away for me.

"Mum, should Tegan and I help with dinner?" she asked.

"You come help, honey," Sonia wrapped an arm around her daughter, "I think your father wants to chat to Tegan for a little while."

My mind went into overdrive while my stomach did a few flips. As Sara was lead down the hall towards the kitchen, she turned her head around to mouth a small "Don't worry" at me. I gulped before turning back to find Bruce already in the sitting room. The room was bigger than my own living room and kitchen combined. Sara's father sat in an armchair in the far corner. He rose as I approached, making his way over to a small bar area on the opposite wall.

"A drink, Tegan?" he asked.

I nodded, "Whatever you're having, Sir."

He pulled out a bottle of brandy and two glasses. Before I could even ask for it on the rocks he was placing the glass in my hand. I took a tentative sip and gave him a small smile of thanks. Bruce walked towards the lit fire and rested a hand on the mantel. I shuffled over beside him and immediately felt the warmth hit my freezing legs and feet.

"This one was taken when we took Sara to Disneyland," Bruce smiled as he pointed to one of the many framed pictures sitting on the mantel.

"She looks just like you," I said.

We both stood in silence as we scanned our eyes over each frame. There were pictures of Sara on vacation with her parents, pictures of her climbing trees, pictures taken at her college graduation, pictures of her sitting on Santa's lap. My favourite was one hidden close to the back. Sara looked no more than eight years old, holding up a small tooth between her fingers as she gave a gappy grin to the camera. I couldn't help but chuckle. Bruce smiled for a second before clearing his throat.

"When I found out about Sara being interested in women I was furious. I was brought up with traditional values that I wished to pass to my own family. I couldn't figure it out at first and I was hard on her. Her mother understood and offered her support but it took a long time for me to accept her. After the first realisations that I wouldn't have a son-in-law or naturally conceived grandchildren, it hit me that my daughter would now be exposed to a world full of hate and judgement. She doesn't deserve that from anyone, let alone her own father. I worked through my own issues and I couldn't be more proud of her but I will never forgive myself for hurting her the way I did."

"I respect you for that," I replied seriously, "It takes a lot of courage for a man to stray from what he knows best in order to help those he cares about. I see it every day in my profession. It's one of the purest forms of love."

"You saved my baby girl," Bruce said quietly, "And for that, Tegan, I will forever be grateful."

I turned to look at him and saw that the youthful glint in his eyes had been replaced with sadness. I had only ever seen a look like that in my own father's eyes.

"I will always take care of her," I told him, "You have my word on that."

I put out my hand for him to shake and he took it, holding onto it tightly. He suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace that I didn't expect.

"I will be proud to have you as my daughter-in-law," he whispered into my ear.

The lump in my throat came back as I tried hard not to cry in front of him. I had never imagined having anything as close to a father ever again but here was this proud, loving man wanting me to be a part of his own family. He let me go and smiled before ushering me out of the sitting room.

**Sara**

When I came out of the kitchen with dishes to place on the dining table I found Tegan and my father already sitting there, laughing over a brandy.

"Good talk?" I asked Tegan as I placed the dishes in the middle of the table.

"Great talk," she beamed back before flashing a quick smile at my father.

I had a feeling that they would get along but I didn't think things would be this relaxed already. It was so great so see them starting a bond. My thoughts were interrupted by my mother coming in from the kitchen, pan in hand. "Tegan, I hope you like beef," she laughed.

I helped pour drinks before we all sat down to eat. Tegan tucked her napkin into her collar and I giggled. I motioned for her to pull it out while mouthing "Lap" subtly at her. She blushed and corrected her mistake before anyone noticed.

"So Sara was telling me all about the wedding plans," my mum started, "Just a small guest list?"

"Yes," Tegan nodded, "Just you guys, my co-workers, and some close friends."

"Well what about your parents?" Mum asked.

My eyes darted straight to Tegan as the words flew out of my mother's mouth. I was so sure I had told them about Tegan's family. There's no reason why I wouldn't have. This shouldn't be something occurring at the dinner table. I watched as Tegan swallowed her mouthful of beef and looked down at her plate.

"My parents passed away a long time ago," she said blankly as she pushed vegetables across her plate, "My mother died soon after I was born and my father died during his service. He was a firefighter too."

"Oh, Tegan," my mother quickly replied with sincere eyes, "I'm so sorry."

"It's totally fine," Tegan lied.

I could see it in her face that she was uncomfortable so I made sure to hurry the conversation along before the all too familiar awkward silence returned.

"Dad, you said you wanted to ask Tegan all about her job?"

Relief quickly spread across his face, "I'd love to hear about being a firefighter. I bet you have a lot of great stories to tell."

"Ten years worth!" Tegan chuckled, the smile returning to her face, "I could tell you about the time we got called to an apartment downtown because some dude had been locked out by his girlfriend. When we got there he was totally naked."

**Tegan **

The rest of our evening flew by in a flash. The conversation came so naturally between us all and it felt so comfortable to sit with Sara in front of the fire as her parents rattled off so many stories about their college days and the years leading up to Sara's birth. A few more stories down the line and Sara was starting to yawn in my ear.

"Someone's sleepy," I chuckled.

"One too many scotches I think," she giggled and rose to her feet with a wobble.

"Off to bed?" Bruce asked and we nodded.

"I've got the guest room all set up for you both," Sonia smiled, "Sweet dreams."

I watched as Sara gave both of her parents a kiss goodnight before grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the stairs. "You are such a good girl," I whispered slyly before wrapping one arm around her waist and the other behind her knees, picking her up in one swift motion. Her eyes lit up as she giggled wildly and squirmed in my arms. I carefully carried her upstairs, her arms wrapped around my neck.

"Which one is the guest?" I asked as we reached the top landing.

Sara smiled and pointed to one of the furthest away doors, "Take me in there first."

We reached the door and I let her down gently. She turned the doorknob and pulled me inside, quickly closing it behind us. As I took in my new surroundings I realised what Sara wanted to show me. A single bed was pushed into one corner beside the window with a small nightstand beside it. Bookcases lined the wall to my left, a mix of comic books and novels neatly arranged on each shelf. The wall opposite Sara's bed was devoted entirely to her illustrating. Her desk took up nearly the whole length of the wall and several cork notice boards hung above it, illustrations and random scribbles on random papers pinned to them carefully. This was the only room not to carry the general colour scheme of the house, shades of grey replacing the creams and beiges.

"Your teenage bedroom?" I chuckled.

"Mmhmm," she nodded.

I walked over to her desk and leant on it gently while I peered at her drawings on the wall. There were sketches of superheroes copied from her comic books, sketches of city skylines, and sketches of beautiful female figures. As I gazed at them all, I felt Sara's hands travel to my hips. She spun me around gently, taking my tie into her hand so she could bring me closer to her. She held onto it with her face millimetres away from my own. A small smile pulled at her lips before she leaned in and placed them on my own. I sighed happily into the kiss and she pulled me gently by my tie over to her bed.

Sara landed on her back with a small bounce as I fell on top of her. She giggled as our lips parted and I started kissing along her neck and up to her jaw line. My fingers reached for the first few buttons of her shirt and I popped them open carefully. My lips travelled from her jaw, down her neck, and finally onto her chest. I planned to go further before I felt a hand on the back of my head guiding me back up to her.

"Don't get any ideas," she smirked, "We're not doing it at my parent's house."

"What's with all the seduction then?" I asked with a pouty face.

Sara kissed my pout away, "Just a little warm up for when we get home."

"You're cruel," I joked as I slid carefully behind her body, casually slipping an arm around her waist as I made sure I wouldn't fall off the tiny single bed.

We lay in silence for a moment until Sara finally spoke again.

"I'm sorry about them bringing up your parents like that," she apologised, "They didn't know."

I sighed, "It's okay. They had to be told sometime. Better now than later."

"In a way it feels strange to have you here. A good strange though. It's like my two worlds are colliding. I kind of like it."

"At least it's under good circumstances," I replied with a yawn.

Sara yawned back at me and reached for my hand, pulling my arm tighter around her hip. I felt her breathing gradually go from a light flutter in her chest to a deep sigh. I placed a small kiss on her shoulder before closing my eyes, falling asleep in my clothes.


End file.
